Spiritual
Rebirth – How do we get back?
Do Not Focus on Self – Focus on Building the
Kingdom
Spiritual - Awakening -
Childlike Belief - Fortified with - Repentance - Baptism - Gift of the Holy
Ghost - Spiritual
Death Pure Doctrine
Life
D&C 29:41
D&C 20:31
Helaman 14:16
(Moses 5:4.) - Awakening
4
And Adam and Eve, his wife, called upon the name of the Lord, and they heard
the voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden of Eden, speaking unto
them, and they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence.
(
7
Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and
they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless,
their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they
were encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an
everlasting destruction did await them.
(Moses 5:5.) – How do we
get back?
5
And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their
God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the
Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.
(Moses 5:6.) – Give
Sacrifice - Obedience
6
And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost
thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save
the Lord commanded me.
Leviticus
1:4-9 – Head – Fat – Innards – Legs – Carcass = Consecration Offering
>>>Sin Burnt /Peace/Thanks
(Leviticus 1:4-9.)
4 And he shall put his
hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to
make atonement for him.
5 And he shall kill the
bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood,
and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation.
6 And he shall flay the
burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.
7 And the sons of Aaron
the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the
fire:
8 And the priests,
Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the
wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
9 But his inwards and
his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to
be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the
LORD.
Head –
Consecrate our mind in study
Fat –
Energy
Innards –
Emotion, Heart, Compassion, Love
Legs –
Direction of life, stay on the path to Eternal Life
Carcass –
Giving our All
God and Priest eat the offerings (except Burnt, only for
God); they are reconciled together, points to the Atonement. Effort in worship, all our actions directed
to God.
Sacrifices Pointing to Christ
The sacrifices of the Law of Moses were
the major temple ordinances of ancient Israel, performed under strict
conditions spelled out in the books of Leviticus and Exodus. According to the
Law of Moses, the sacrifices could only be administered by the priests and only
at the appointed location: at the tabernacle during the wanderings and after
the settlement in Palestine, and at the temple in Jerusalem following its
construction. Although there were several kinds of sacrifices, there was one
central focus, as was revealed in the days of Adam: "This thing is a
similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full
of grace and truth" (Moses 5:7). The atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus
Christ was the theme which undergirded the entire idea of sacrifice in the Old
Testament, including the sacrifices of the Law of Moses. Sacrifice as a
function of worship was symbolic of the Atonement, and the sacrifices were
meant to teach the principles upon which the Atonement was based (see
"Justice and Mercy in the Law," below). Sadly, through most of
Israelite history apostasy had removed that understanding from the worship of
Israel, and the Old Testament is silent regarding the sacrifices' true meaning.
fn It is likely that from the days of Moses until the coming of Jesus, only a
minority of Israelites were able to see beyond the functions of Mosaic law to
the sacred Atonement to which they pointed—or had that knowledge revealed to
them (Mosiah 13:32). No hint of such knowledge is found in the writings of the
prophets of the Old Testament. Perhaps during that time the knowledge of the
true origin and function of sacrifice was withdrawn from Israel (along with
other blessings), as a result of the inability of the people as a whole to live
in accordance with the light and knowledge that they had received. fn Yet
Israel continued the practices, and sacrifice remained in the minds of Israel
the means by which holiness was achieved and maintained and sin purged.
Fortunately, we have a second witness for Christ that teaches us the meaning of
sacrifice and the mission of the Savior; the Book of Mormon provides the fuller
perspective.
Under the Law of Moses, four
categories of animal sacrifice were most important: Burnt Offerings, Well-being
(KJV, "Peace") Offerings, Sin ("Purgation") Offerings, and
Trespass ("Reparation") Offerings. fn
Burnt Offerings existed centuries prior to the time
of Moses. Adam and other righteous Saints down to the time of Moses offered up
burnt offerings to commemorate in advance the future sacrifice of Christ (see
especially Moses 5:7; Jacob 4:5; also Gen. 8:20; 22:1-18). These were
sacrifices of worship that pointed to the Savior. When the Law of Moses was
revealed, these sacrifices were retained as part of that law, although we do
not know to what extent their function and meaning differed from those of the
sacrifices of the Patriarchs. Under the Mosaic system, the animal was a male
without blemish. The entire animal was burned on the altar, to atone for sin in
general. fn Often they were public sacrifices, performed as part of the regular
daily routine of the priests.
Well-being Offerings were offerings that were initiated
by worshipers for their own special purposes. Most common among them were
thanksgiving offerings (to show special thanks to the Lord; Lev. 7:12-13, 15;
22:29), vow offerings (to seal a covenant; Lev. 7:16; 22:18, 21, 23), and
free-will offerings (to show willingness to offer freely; Lev. 7:16; 22:18, 21,
23). These could be males or females from the herd or flock, and only parts of
the animal were burned, while the rest was eaten by the worshiper and the
priests. fn
Sin and Trespass Offerings were for the purpose of achieving
reconciliation following violations of the laws of society or God. When one was
guilty of violating any of the revealed laws, atonement had to be made by
taking the prescribed animal to the priests at the sanctuary. Several different
animals were allowable, based on the station and wealth of the offerer. Only
parts of the animal were burned; the rest was eaten. Sin and trespass offerings
were the same, except that trespass offerings required restitution as well. fn
The priests offered up the sacrifice in behalf of the worshiper, and through
the animal's death the worshiper was reconciled with the law and thereby made
ritually clean. These offerings, more than any others, symbolized the Atonement
of the Savior with its power to remove sin from our lives through vicarious
sacrifice
(Kent P. Jackson and Robert L. Millet, eds., Studies in
Scripture, Vol. 3: Genesis to 2 Samuel [Salt Lake City: Randall Book,
1985], 172.)
(Matthew 22:35-37.)
35 Then one of them, which
was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is
the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy mind.
Sharing Insights
from My Life
NEAL A. MAXWELL
Neal A. Maxwell was a member of the
Council of the
Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
when this devotional address was delivered at BYU on 12 January 1999.
I am going to preach a hard doctrine
to you now. The submission of one's will is really the only uniquely personal
thing we have to place on God's altar. It is a hard doctrine, but it is true.
The many other things we give to God, however nice that may be of us, are
actually things He has already given us, and He has loaned them to us. But when
we begin to submit ourselves by letting our wills be swallowed up in God's
will, then we are really giving something to Him. And that hard doctrine lies
at the center of discipleship. There is a part of us that is ultimately
sovereign, the mind and heart, where we really do decide which way to go and
what to do. And when we submit to His will, then we've really given Him the one
thing He asks of us. And the other things are not very, very important. It is
the only possession we have that we can give, and there is no resulting
shortage in our agency as a result. Instead, what we see is a flowering of our
talents and more and more surges of joy. Submission to Him is the only form of
submission that is completely safe.
This ought to be more obvious to us
than it is sometimes, brothers and sisters, because developmentally, as well as
doctrinally, all the other commandments hang, as Jesus said, on the two great
interactive commandments. Let me read them to you now because they are so
vital.
Jesus said unto him, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy mind.
This is the first and
great commandment.
And the second is like
unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments
hang all the law and the prophets. [Matthew 22:37–40]
Now we don't think about it enough in the Church, but the first commandment
is first for a reason. And the second commandment is second for a reason. True,
the second commandment is like unto the first, but it isn't the first
commandment. We worship the perfect object of that first commandment, God,
because of His spiritual supremacy. We do not worship our neighbors. We are to
love them but not worship them. This recognition of God's supremacy on all
counts is why that commandment is first and why it is completely safe for us to
submit to Him. Besides, at a university it is not inappropriate to remind you
that that first commandment includes all of our heart, soul, and mind. The mind
must surrender to God, too. It is my impression, looking about the world, that
there are comparatively more knees bent in reverence to God than there are
minds bent in reverence to Him. That human stubbornness tends to show up in
terms of our unwillingness to submit our minds to Him.
C. S. Lewis put it well when he said,
"We are bidden to 'put on Christ,' to become like God. That is, whether we
like it or not, God intends to give us what we need, not what we now think we
want" (The Problem of Pain, chapter 3, paragraph 18). Hence it is
so vital for us to be submissive because we'll be puzzled when He gives us what
we need in order to become more like Him and the Son, unless we are submissive
in mind.
Now that grand key, therefore, is why
we will have missed the train if Jesus is a stranger and far from the thoughts
and intents of our heart. Because of his intellectual submissiveness, Enoch
learned about what Paul called "the deep things of God" (1
Corinthians 2:10). I love that phrase of Paul's. Enoch personally saw the tears
of the Lord. He personally heard the Lord's lamentations about the human
family. God recited how He has given us our agency, commanded us to love and to
choose Him and likewise love one another. Here again are the two great
commandments. Yet we mortals so often choose evil or let the cares of the world
crowd out the important things.
Instead of choosing God and His ways,
we get busy with the cares of the world, and that is when neighbors get
excluded, too. So obeying that first great commandment permits us to
acknowledge and love the Lord and to accept His love of us, brothers and
sisters, including the timing and shaping of us. Remember Nephi's meek
acceptance of God's will: "I know that [God] loveth his children;
nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things" (1 Nephi 11:17). We
don't know the meaning of all things, but we know that God loves us, and that
is sufficient to get us by and through anything.
We have a lot of people who partially
keep the second commandment more than they truly keep the first. The trouble
with just focusing on the second commandment to the exclusion of the first is
that we may momentarily do some good deed for a neighbor, but it may not mean
that we have worshipped God with all our mind. The first commandment sets the
high tone, the divine standard. If it were not so, then, as the scriptures say,
"Every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god,
whose image is in the likeness of the world" (D&C 1:16). That first
commandment is the linchpin for everything else. Even self-centered people find
themselves doing good, keeping the second commandment at times, but it is almost
a kind of sidebar thing, as though they really have other things to do but are
going to do a modicum of service here and feel good about it. We must not,
therefore, overlook how crucial that first commandment is.
Furthermore, regarding that
commandment, mortal choices need not necessarily be wicked in order to do harm.
Some choices are diversions more than they are transgressions. As a result of
these diversions, the sins of omission mount up. And they constitute a real
deprivation because of what we withhold from our fellow human beings. Perhaps
it is unintentional, but without that first commandment, some things get
omitted.
In contrast, the Lord's reach for us
is so redemptive and constant. His arm, we are told in the Book of Mormon,
extends all the day long (see 2 Nephi 28:32). And the prophet Mormon spoke in
powerful lamentation of those who did not respond even so (see Mormon 6:16–22).
Yet Jesus waits with open arms to receive you, and if we are fully faithful at
a much later date, we can eventually know at the entrance to His kingdom that
sublime moment the prophet Mormon described when we could be "clasped in
the arms of Jesus" (Mormon 5:11). There, the Lord Himself, by choice, is
the gatekeeper, "and he employeth no servants there" (2 Nephi 9:41).
This is why King Lamoni's father surely had it right. In His halting initial
faith he said to the Lord, "I will give away all my sins to know
thee" (
We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of
instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and
diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and
that the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the
greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost
every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith
where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker and is caught up to
dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever
arrived in a moment. [Teachings, p. 51]
King Benjamin said of that
moment, that when we reach it, we will "have no more disposition to do
evil" (Mosiah 5:2). And we can tell in our hearts and with the help of our
conscience how we are doing on the basis of those two criteria. This means,
frankly, that our sins of omission, at least speaking for myself, need more
attention and appreciation and more repentance. They don't involve, as said
earlier, transgression, but they are a matter of deflection.
(Doctrine and Covenants
20:31.)
31 And we know also, that sanctification through
the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true, to all those
who love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength.
The Law of Worship and the Law of Sacrifice
Bruce Satterfield
Department of
[Found in New Perspectives, Fall Semester Vol.
14, No. 2, November 1997, pp. 14-16.]
In holy temples, we enter
into covenants with God that are essential for our progress towards exaltation.
One such covenant centers on the law of sacrifice.(1)
It is important to understand the intent of the law of sacrifice in order to
honor the covenant associated with it. A study of the scriptures will greatly
aid our coming to understand the spirit of the law of sacrifice while at the
same time increasing our motivation and determination to live the law.
According to the scriptural
account, after Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden, they
"called upon the name of the Lord." What they prayed for is not
stated. But it must be certain that at least one of the things they wanted to
know was how to do to regain God's presence for as the account reads,
"they were shut out from his presence" (Moses 5:4). In response to
their prayers, the Lord said "that they should worship the Lord their God,
and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the
Lord" (Moses 5:5).
The law of worship has been
given to man in every age. In our dispensation, the Lord told the Church,
"all men must repent and believe on the name of Jesus Christ, and worship
the Father in his name. . . . or they cannot be saved in the
The law of worship and the
law of sacrifice are inherently connected. The ritual associated with the law
of sacrifice is a visual representation of the law of worship. We are not told
specifically how Adam performed the ritual of the law of sacrifice. We do know,
however, that the law of sacrifice was passed on to Adam's posterity. It
continued to the time of Moses and was incorporated in the law of Moses. In
Leviticus chapter one, a detailed description of the ritual associated with the
law of sacrifice is given. This description is very revealing. Since the
"law of sacrifice is required of all disciples,"(3)
the description of the sacrificial procedure will help in understanding what is
meant by the law of sacrifice and the law of worship.
According to Leviticus 1,
the offering was first killed (vs. 5). After it was killed, the animal was
flayed, or skinned (vs. 6). The skin was not to be burnt for that would produce
an offensive smell; the sacrifice was to be a "sweet savour unto the
Lord" (vs. 9), meaning that this sacrifice was acceptable to God. The
animal was then cut into pieces and laid in a specified order on the altar
(vss. 6-9). First, the head was removed and placed on the altar. Second, the
fat was cut off and laid next to the head. Then the inwards were taken out and
laid next to the fat. After that, the legs were cut off the carcass and laid
next to the inwards. Finally, the carcass was placed on the altar. After all
this was done, the entire animal was consumed in flames. It seems that the
sacrificial offerings performed at the time of Adam were similar to the
procedure described in Leviticus 1 for we are told that Abel "brought of the
firstlings of his flock, and the fat thereof" (Genesis 4:4; Moses
5:20; emphasis added).
The Hebrew name of the burnt
offering is olah ("that which goes up"), meaning the offering
that goes up or is given up to God. The translation of olah in the King
James Version is the "burnt offering" because the entire animal was
consumed in the flames of the fire, and, unlike other sacrifices, no part was
eaten by the offerer or priest. The symbolism of this is clear: the burnt
offering was a consecration offering. In other words, the entire offering was
consecrated to God. It can be seen from this that the law of sacrifice is not
only inherently connected with the law of worship but also with another
covenant made in the temple, the law of consecration. Of this, Elder Bruce R.
McConkie taught: "Sacrifice and consecration are inseparably
intertwined"(4)
But what was being
sacrificed or consecrated to God? The answer was given to Adam and Eve. After
"many days" of performing the ritual associated with the law of
sacrifice, "an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou
offer sacrifices unto the Lord?" Adam responded by saying, "I know
not, save the Lord commanded me." Then the angel explained the meaning of
the sacrifice in these words: "This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice
of the Only Begotten of the Father" (Moses 5:6-7). That is, the lamb
symbolized the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in behalf of Adam and Eve and their
posterity.
The cutting of the lamb into
pieces and placing the pieces on the altar to be entirely consumed by the
flames was a representation of the worship, sacrifice, and consecration of
Jesus Christ to God's work and glory. His worship and sacrifice was evidenced
by his consecrating all he had to the building of the
Just as Jesus Christ would
sacrifice and consecrate all he had to God's work and glory so must Adam and
Eve (and their posterity) sacrifice all they have for the same purpose.(5)
Therefore, the angel told Adam and Eve that from that day forward, everything
they did was to be done "in the name of the Son" (Moses 5:7-8). Paul
stated it this way: "present your bodies a living sacrifice; holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). It
is in this way that many in the past "who had been faithful in the
testimony of Jesus while they lived in mortality" had "offered
sacrifice in the similitude of the great sacrifice of the Son of God"
(D&C 138:12-13).
The scriptures also reveal
many other insights relative to the law of sacrifice that are helpful. For
instance, as already noted, the ritual associated with the law of sacrifice
became an important part of the law of Moses. In fact, the burnt offering was
to be offered "day by day" in both the morning and the evening
(Numbers 28:3-4). This was to continually remind
The Old Testament is clear
that performing the ritual of sacrifice was not as important as the intent of
the rite. When Saul was commanded by the prophet Samuel to lead the Israelites
in battle against their age old enemy, the Amalekites, he was told to
"utterly destroy all that they [the Amalekites] have, and spare them not;
but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and
ass" (1 Samuel 15:3). However, Saul was disobedient to the command of the
Lord through Samuel. After defeating the Amalekites, and killing all the
people, he spared "the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the
fatlings, and the lambs" that he might offer "sacrifice unto the
Lord" (1 Samuel 15:9-21). Saul's disobedience violated the very intent of
the law of sacrifice. Therefore, Samuel rebuked Saul saying, "Hath the
LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the
voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken
than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22). Likewise, a later prophet chided
The relationship between the
intent of the law of sacrifice and the ritual is well illustrated in the story
of Lehi. When Lehi was commanded to leave
Note the similarity in the
life of Abraham. After the Lord had told him to "Get thee out of thy
country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I
will shew thee," Abraham obediently left his land and people and came into
the
In fact, the whole life of
Abraham is a paradigm of how the law of sacrifice should be lived. At various
times, he was asked to give up mortal things for higher ideals. In all cases,
Abraham was obedient to the law of sacrifice (see Genesis 12-22) and therefore,
he achieved his exaltation (see D&C 132:29-37). Abraham epitomizes what
Joseph Smith said about the law of sacrifice. He explained that the law of
sacrifice requires a "man to lay down his all, his character and
reputation, his honor, and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his
lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life
-- counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge
of Jesus Christ."(6)
The example of Abraham and
Lehi is found in other places in the scriptures. For instance, the law of
sacrifice permeates the entire gospel of Matthew. Note the following examples.
Upon seeing the star that signaled the birth of the Messiah, the wise men
demonstrated their willingness to make a sacrifice for a higher cause by
leaving their homeland and making an extended journey to find the Christ child
and pay homage to him. The giving of their treasure, which included the
expensive gifts of "gold, and frankincense, and myrrh," was a further
demonstration of their willingness to sacrifice what they had to the child who
would bring salvation to all men (see Matt. 2:1-12). In stark contrast, Herod,
the king of the Savior's own people, was not willing to sacrifice anything to
worship the Savior but instead attempted to assassinate his would be rival
(Matt. 2:1-18). Matthew also records the sacrifice made by some of the Savior's
disciples. When Peter, Andrew, James, and John were asked to follow the Savior,
"they straightway left their nets [occupation], and followed him."
Interestingly enough, the account reveals that James and John not only left their
nets, but their father also (Matt. 4:18-22). Speaking of this kind of
sacrifice, Matthew records the Savior saying, "He that loveth father or
mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37). Again, on another
occasion, the Savior said: "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or
brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for
my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting
life" (Matt. 19:29). Matthew also records that the ultimate sacrifice made
by any man was made by the Savior himself when he retired to
The scriptures inform us
that with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ the ritual associated with the law of
sacrifice, the killing of an animal was done away with. After the great
destruction had come upon the land associated with the death of Christ, the
Lord said to the people: "ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding
of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for
I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings." Instead
of offering blood sacrifices, the Lord required a new sacrifice: "And ye
shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit"
(3 Nephi 9:19-20). In the Doctrine and Covenants, the latter-day Church was
given the same commandment: "Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord
thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite
spirit" (D&C 59:8).
For one to offer a sacrifice
of a broken heart and a contrite spirit, he must recognize his spiritual
poorness, mourn his sins, and come unto Christ for forgiveness. When that
happens, the sacrifice of Christ will come into his heart and comfort him
through the miracle of forgiveness (see 3 Nephi 12:3-4). Elder Neal A. Maxwell
spoke of this in these terms:
"So it is that real,
personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a
willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed!
Such is the "sacrifice unto the Lord . . . of a broken heart and a
contrite spirit," (D&C 59:8), a prerequisite to taking up the cross,
while giving "away all [our] sins" in order to know God (
But this is only the
beginning of honoring the intent of the law of sacrifice. President Spencer W.
Kimball taught:
" . . .we must lay on
the altar and sacrifice whatever is required by the Lord. We begin by offering
a "broken heart and a contrite spirit." We follow this by giving our
best effort in our assigned fields of labor and callings. We learn our duty and
execute it fully. Finally we consecrate our time, talents and means as called
upon by our file leaders and as prompted by the whisperings of the Spirit. In
the Church, as in the Welfare system also, we can give expression to every
ability, every righteous desire, every thoughtful impulse. Whether a volunteer,
father, home teacher, bishop, or neighbor, whether a visiting teacher, mother,
homemaker, or friend--there is ample opportunity to give our all."(8)
In conclusion, the law of
worship and the law of sacrifice are interrelated laws that are designed to put
God at the center of our lives. Those who enter into these laws by covenant,
place all they have on the altar. Their minds, energy, heart, and course of
life will be devoted to God's work and glory which is to bring to pass
"the immortality and eternal life of man." In other words, they will
"love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength"
(D&C 20:31). In so doing, they will lose their life in the service of
others. By losing their life in the building of the
"If in this day the
Church rises to the call of the First Presidency, and if Church members
sacrifice of their means, their time, their talents for the upbuilding of the
kingdom of God, not withholding their own lives, if that were necessary, then
there will come to this people, and to that individual who thus is willing to
consecrate himself, the greatest joy that can come to the human soul."(9)
References
1.
President Harold B. Lee taught, "We have in sacred places what we call the
law of sacrifice" (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, Ed. Clyde J.
Williams, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1996] p.318). Likewise, President Ezra
Taft Benson stated, "In the course of our visits to the temple, we are
given insights into the meaning of the eternal journey of man. We see beautiful
and impressive symbolisms of the most important events -- past, present, and
future -- symbolizing man's mission in relationship to God. We are reminded of
our obligations as we make solemn covenants pertaining to obedience,
consecration, sacrifice, and dedicated service to our Heavenly Father"
(Ezra Taft Benson, Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1988] p. 251).
2. Dallin
H. Oaks, Pure in Heart,
3. Bruce
R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah. The Messiah Series, vols. 2-5.
4.
Conference Report, Apr. 1975, p. 74; or Ensign, May 1975, p. 50.
"The law of
consecration is that we consecrate our time, our talents, and our money and
property to the cause of the Church: such are to be available to the extent
they are needed to further the Lord's interests on earth.
"The law of sacrifice
is that we are willing to sacrifice all that we have for the truth's sake--our
character and reputation; our honor and applause; our good name among men; our
houses, lands, and families: all things, even our very lives if need be"
(Conference Report, Apr. 1975, p. 74; or Ensign, May 1975, p. 50).
7.
Conference Report, Apr. 1995, p. 91; or Ensign, May 1995, p. 68.
8.
Conference Report, Apr. 1978, pp.12324; or Ensign, May 1978, p.81.
9. The
Teachings of Harold B. Lee, Ed. Clyde J. Williams, [
(Moses 5:8.) – Repent of
our Sins of Commission
8
Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou
shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.
(Moses 6:53, 63-65) –
Baptism, Spiritual Rebirth, (Sanctification)
53
And our father Adam spake unto the Lord, and said: Why is it that men must
repent and be baptized in water? And the Lord said unto Adam: Behold I have
forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden.
63 And behold, all things
have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me,
both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which
are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which
are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath:
all things bear record of me.
64 And it came to pass,
when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord,
and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the
water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water.
65
And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he
was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man.
The Doctrines of Justification and
Sanctification
Bruce
Satterfield
Department of
Adam Questions Why Men
Must Repent and Be Baptized
After Adam and Eve were
driven from the Garden of Eden, the Lord called upon Adam, saying, "I am
God; I made the world, and men before they were in the flesh." He then
declared, "If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and
believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water,
in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is
Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby
salvation shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it
shall be given you." Adam responded, saying, "Why is it that men must
repent and be baptized in water?" (Moses 6:52-53)
The Lord Answers Adam's
Question
In answering Adam's
question, the Lord introduced the doctrines of justification and
sanctification. The Lord's answer is in two parts. In the first part, Adam is
informed that he has no need to repent of his transgression in the garden:
"Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden"
(Moses 6:51-53). That is, Adam and Eve had acted appropriately in the garden by
eating the fruit thus opening the way for God's children to come to mortality.
Therefore, the Lord forgave them unconditionally for their transgression
in the garden: Adam and Eve did not need to repent of their eating of the
forbidden fruit. "Hence came the saying abroad among the people, that the
Son of God hath atoned for original guilt [Adam's transgression in the garden],
wherein the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of the
children, for they are whole from the foundation of the world" (Moses
6:54).
The Doctrine of
Sanctification
Justification is only
part of what must occur before man can be brought back into the presence of
God. Nephi explained that when man commits sin, he becomes unclean or filthy.
He then declared: "I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy, and
there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God; wherefore there
must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for that which is filthy (1 Nephi
15:34). Justification acquits man from sin but it does not cleanse him from the
effects of sin. The process of cleansing man from the effects of sin is known
as sanctification. To sanctify means to be made free from the effects of
sin, to be purified (Webster's New World Dictionary). Sanctification
is the process by which one is cleansed and purified from sin.
The following example
will serve to illustrate the difference between justification and
sanctification. Suppose a man, who had smoked for twenty years, finally
realized the error of his ways and repented of his actions. He quite smoking,
cold turkey, and never picked up another cigarette the rest of his life. He
could be justified or acquitted of his sin and allowed to join the Church and
participate in the blessings of the gospel. Though he quite smoking, he
nevertheless would still suffer the effects of his sinful habit. His lungs
would remain blackened because of the continually inhalation of smoke filled with
tar and nicotine. What can he do about the effects of his sin? Nothing! The
same is true with any sin. Though we may repent of our sins and never do them
again, nonetheless, we cannot do away with the effects of our sins. We need
divine help in order to become clean. This cleansing comes through the
sanctifying powers of the Holy Ghost.
Sanctification comes
through the gift of the Holy Ghost which is often called the baptism of fire.
One of the primary missions of the Holy Ghost, and one not often spoken of, is
his power to sanctify man from sin. Elder Bruce R. McConkie has written:
"To be sanctified is
to be saved; to fall short of sanctification is to fail to gain full salvation.
Only the sanctified gain eternal life. To be sanctified is to be clean; it is a
state of purity and spotlessness in which no taint of sin is found. Only those
who die as to sin and are born again to righteousness, becoming thus new
creatures of the Holy Ghost, are numbered with the sanctified.
"It is the work and
mission and ministry of the Holy Spirit of God to sanctify the souls of men. This
is his assigned labor in the Eternal Godhead. How he does it we do not
know, except that it is a work that can only be performed by a spirit being,
and hence the need for one of his personality, status, and standing in the
Supreme Presidency of the universe.
"Baptism of the
Spirit is the way and the means whereby sanctification is made available. Thus,
Jesus commands all the "ends of the earth" to be baptized in water
"that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may
stand spotless before me at the last day." (3 Nephi 27:20.) Truly, the
Holy Ghost is a sanctifier, and the extent to which men receive and enjoy the
gift of the Holy Ghost is the extent to which they are sanctified. In the lives
of most of us, sanctification is an ongoing process, and we obtain that
glorious status by degrees as we overcome the world and become saints in deed
as well as in name." (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, pp.
265-266; emphasis added)
When one is sanctified
from sin, he is cleansed from all effects of sin. It is as if he never had
committed the sin. Nevertheless, the knowledge of good and evil acquired
through sin remains. Without question,
"And now, behold,
when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up
by the memory of my sins no more.
"And oh, what joy,
and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as
exceeding as was my pain!
"Yea, I say unto
you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my
pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can
be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy." (
When one is sanctified,
he has received a full remission of his sins. The Lord declared that a
remission of sins is two fold process requiring both the baptism of water and
the baptism of fire, “yea, even the Holy Ghost” (D&C 19:31).
Baptism alone does not remit sins. It only begins the remission
process. The actual remission of sins comes through the Holy Ghost.
Nephi declared: “For the gate by which he should enter is repentance and
baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy
Ghost” (2 Nephi 31:17). Likewise, the Savior taught the Nephites, “Now this is
the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be
baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy
Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day” (3 Ne. 27:20).
Joseph Smith said: “I further believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost by the
laying on of hands. Evidence by Peter’s preaching on the day of
Pentacost, Acts 2:38. You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man,
if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy
Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing
without the other half -- that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 314). Elder McConkie wrote:
"Baptism is for the
remission of sins; it is the ordinance, ordained of God, to cleanse a human
soul. Baptism is in water and of the Spirit and is preceded by repentance. The
actual cleansing of the soul comes when the Holy Ghost is received. The Holy
Ghost is a sanctifier whose divine commission is to burn dross and evil out of
a human soul as though by fire, thus giving rise to the expression baptism of
fire, which is the baptism of the Spirit. Forgiveness is assured when the
contrite soul receives the Holy Spirit, because the Spirit will not dwell in an
unclean tabernacle." (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p.
239)
Just as one may know that
he has been justified when the guilt is removed, so one may know he has been
sanctified.
"And now, it came to
pass that when King Benjamin had thus spoken to his people, he sent among them,
desiring to know of his people if they believed the words which he had spoken
unto them.
"And they all cried
with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto
us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the
Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts,
that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually."
(Mosiah 5:1-2; emphasis added)
Generally speaking, the
full effects of sanctification will not be experienced in mortality but will
come after death as part of the resurrection process. President Brigham Young
taught that those who seek after and obtain a celestial resurrection will be
free from the effects of sin:
"I think it has been
taught by some that as we lay our bodies down, they will so rise again in the
resurrection with all the impediments and imperfections that they had here; and
that if a wife does not love her husband in this state she cannot love him in
the next. This is not so. Those who attain to the blessing of the first or
celestial resurrection will be pure and holy, and perfect in body. Every man
and woman that reaches to this unspeakable attainment will be as beautiful as
the angels that surround the throne of God. If you can, by faithfulness in this
life, obtain the right to come up in the morning of the resurrection, you need
entertain no fears that the wife will be dissatisfied with her husband, or the
husband with the wife; for those of the first resurrection will be free from
sin and from the consequences and power of sin. This body 'is sown in
corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised
in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural
body, it is raised a spiritual body.' 'And, as we have borne the image of the
earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.'" (Journal of
Discourses, Vol.10, p.24)
Just as the blessing of
justification is conditional, so is the blessing of sanctification. The Lord
stated the conditions: "And we know also, that sanctification through the
grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true, to all those who
love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength" (D&C
20:31). Putting God and his work and glory at the center of our lives is the
necessary condition for sanctification. Mormon noted that the more one places
his God at the center of his life the greater the sanctification:
"Nevertheless they
did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and
firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy
and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their
hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto
God." (Helaman 3:35)
"Sanctify
Yourselves"
The word sanctify is used
in another sense in the scriptures. The Lord declared:
"And if your eye be
single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there
shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light
comprehendeth all things.
"Therefore, sanctify
yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that
you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his
own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will." (D&C
88:67-68)
In these verses, the Lord
commands that men "sanctify" themselves that their "minds become
single to God." The meaning of the word sanctify in this verse is not to
be confused with the definition given previously. Another definition of
sanctify is to set apart or to consecrate to a certain end (Webster's New
World Dictionary). This is the meaning of sanctify in the sacramental
prayer. When the priest calls upon God to "bless and sanctify this bread
(or water) to the souls of all those who eat in remembrance" of Christ,
they are not asking that the bread be cleansed from sin. That is absurd. What
is meant is that the bread and water are dedicated, consecrated, or set apart
to the purposes of the sacrament and to nothing else. What the Lord is stating
in these verses (D&C 88:67-68) is that men should set apart or consecrate
their lives to God's work and glory. Then they will experience the sanctifying
powers that will make them clean from the sins of the world and thus allow them
to come back into the presence of God.
Because it is not often
understood that the word sanctify has two different meanings and that both
meanings are used at different times in the scriptures and in other
circumstances, many are left confused when the word is used. For example, if
one understands the word sanctify to mean be cleansed from sin, and he hears
such phrases as to "sanctify yourselves" (D&C 43:11, 16; 88:68,
74; 133:4), he might think that the Lord is asking his people to purify or
cleanse themselves from sin. But as already been shown, we cannot cleanse
ourselves from sin! That is why their was an atonement made. What those
scriptures mean is that we should remove ourselves from ungodly activities and
dedicate ourselves to the work of God. When we do this, we are then we can
become sanctified from sin. In view of this,
"Yea, come unto
Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if
ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness and love God with all your might,
mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye
may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ,
ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
"And again, if ye by
the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye
sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of
Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins,
that ye become holy, without spot." (
There are many scriptures
that use sanctify to mean "cleansed from sin." For example, we are
told, "That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the
world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to
cleanse it from all unrighteousness" (D&C 76:41). The meaning here is
obvious. Jesus Christ came into the world to cleanse or purify the world from sin.
The context of each use must be considered in order to understand which
definition should be used.
CONCLUSION
In answer to Adam's
question, "Why is that men must repent and be baptized in water?"
(Moses 6:53). Adam learned what the Apostle Paul has since taught, "For
all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). That
in order to be forgiven of their sins and regain God's presence, man must
repent and be baptized. Therefore, the Lord declared to Adam: "Wherefore
teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can
in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or
dwell in his presence" (Moses 6:57). The Lord told Adam that "all
things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record
of me" (Moses 6:63). He taught Adam that the very birth of man is a
likeness of what must happen to man in order to regain God's presence. Said he:
"inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit,
which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born
again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed
by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified
from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal
life in the world to come, even immortal glory." He then declared:
"For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified,
and by the blood ye are sanctified" (Moses 6:59-60).
In other words, just as
men have come into this fallen world through the birth process consisting of
water (the mothers womb), blood (both the natural life and capacity to sin
given to offspring by parents), and the spirit (the power given by God to
live), so they must be born again to come into the presence of God. The born
again process also consists of water, blood, and spirit. The process begins
when men exercise faith in Christ, repent of their sins, and then make a
covenant with God that they will keep his commandments. This covenant is made
when one is baptized in water. Hence, "by the water ye keep the
commandment."
Coming out of the waters
of baptism is like coming out of the womb; a new person in a new world, a
spiritual world! Baptism, however, is only the sign of the new beginning and a
forgiving and cleansing of sin. The birth of water must be followed by the
baptism of the Spirit which justifies man. After baptism, one must receive the
ordinance of the laying on of hands for the Holy Ghost. If one has been
baptized with integrity, has received the laying on of hands for the Holy
Ghost, and remains faithful, then he may receive the actual reception of the
gift of the Holy Ghost. With that reception, the ordinance of baptism would be
sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise confirming that he qualifies for the
promised blessings of cleansing. Hence, "by the Spirit he are
justified."
After the man is
justified, he must be sanctified through the blood of Christ freeing him from
the effects of sin. Though sanctification actually comes through the baptism of
fire or Holy Ghost, sanctification it is made possible only through the atoning
blood of Christ. Hence, "by the blood He will miserably destroy those
wicked men, and will let out [his] vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall
render him the fruits in their seasons. ye are sanctified."
Godhood = 1
Cleansing 2 Consecration/Dedication
Love God
with all our might and mind and love and serve others.
Enos 1:1-27
– Repentance builds his character, verse 27, his calling and election is made
sure, he has the Holy Spirit of Promise.
(Helaman 3:35.) – Yield
your heart to what you Love.
35
Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in
their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling
their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the
sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their
yielding their hearts unto God.
(Doctrine and Covenants
138:11.)
11
As I pondered over these things which are written, the eyes of my understanding
were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I saw the hosts of
the dead, both small and great.
Moses
6:66-67 – Adam & Eve
What I Hope You Will
Teach
Your Children about the
President Ezra Taft Benson
Ensign, Aug. 1985, pp. 6-10
The last time I saw
President Heber J. Grant was in the
I was just entering the
glass door opposite the Lion House in the
They replied,
"Yes."
He said, "Come here.
Come here, Brother Benson."
I walked over to him, and
President Grant said, "Did I ever tell you about the mean trick Brigham
Young played on your great-grandfather?"
I said, "No, President.
I didn't know Brigham Young ever played a mean trick on anyone."
He responded, "Oh, yes,
he did. I'll tell you about it."
I could see that these two
brethren were practically holding President Grant up, so I said, "I'll
come to the house some time. I'd like to hear it."
He replied, "No, I'll
tell you right here. These brethren can steady me while I tell you."
He said, "You know where
I said, "Yes."
He continued, "Your
great-grandfather built the finest home in
"Now," President
Grant said, "Daniel H. Wells was Brigham Young's counselor. Wasn't that a
mean trick? Come on, brethren, let's go."
In all the years that I had
attended the Benson reunions I had never heard that story. So I had it verified
by the Church Historical Department, and they assured me that the facts were as
President Grant related them. They told me they had a tintype picture of the
old home.
Since that time, I have been
most grateful for the so-called "mean trick" of President Young,
because were it not for that, the Bensons would not have their roots in
I love
The temple is an
ever-present reminder that God intends the family to be eternal. How fitting it
is for mothers and fathers to point to the temple and say to their children,
"That is the place where we were [page 8] married for eternity." By
so doing, the ideal of temple marriage can be instilled within the minds and
hearts of your children while they are very young.
I am grateful to the Lord
that my temple memories extend back--even to young boyhood. I remember so well,
as a little boy, coming in from the field and approaching the old farm house in
I can still see her in my
mind's eye bending over the ironing board with newspapers on the floor, ironing
long strips of white cloth, with beads of perspiration on her forehead. When I
asked her what she was doing, she said, "These are temple robes, my son.
Your father and I are going to the temple at
Then she put the old
flatiron on the stove, drew a chair close to mine, and told me about temple
work--how important it is to be able to go to the temple and participate in the
sacred ordinances performed there. She also expressed her fervent hope that
some day her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren would have the
opportunity to enjoy these priceless blessings.
These sweet memories about
the spirit of temple work were a blessing in our farm home, our little rural
ward of three hundred, and the old Oneida Stake. These memories have returned
as I have performed the marriage of each of our children and grandchildren, my
mother's grandchildren and great-grandchildren, under the influence of the
Spirit in the house of the Lord.
These are choice memories to
me, and I have often reflected on them. In the peace of these lovely temples,
sometimes we find solutions to the serious problems of life. Under the
influence of the Spirit, sometimes pure knowledge flows to us there.
I would like to direct my
remarks to you parents and grandparents. I would like to share with you what I
would hope you would teach your children about the temple.
The temple is a sacred
place, and the ordinances in the temple are of a sacred character. Because of
its sacredness we are sometimes reluctant to say anything about the temple to
our children and grandchildren.
As a consequence, many do
not develop a real desire to go to the temple, or when they go there, they do
so without much background to prepare them for the obligations and covenants
they enter into.
I believe a proper
understanding or background will immeasurably help prepare our youth for the
temple. This understanding, I believe, will foster within them a desire to seek
their priesthood blessings just as Abraham sought his.
When our Heavenly Father
placed Adam and Eve on this earth, He did so with the purpose in mind of
teaching them how to regain His presence. Our Father promised a Savior to
redeem them from their fallen condition. He gave to them the plan of salvation
and told them to teach their children faith in Jesus Christ and repentance.
Further, Adam and his posterity were commanded by God to be baptized, to
receive the Holy Ghost, and to enter into the order of the Son of God.
To enter into the order of the Son of God is the equivalent
today of entering into the fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which is
only received in the house of the Lord.
Because Adam and Eve had complied with these requirements,
God said to them, "Thou art after the order of him who was without
beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity."
(Moses 6:67.)
Three years before Adam's
death, a great event occurred. He took his son Seth, his grandson Enos, and
other high priests who were his direct-line descendants, with others of his
righteous posterity, into a valley called Adam-ondi-Ahman. There Adam gave to
these righteous descendants his last blessing.
The Lord then appeared to
them.
The vast congregation rose
up and blessed Adam and called him Michael, the prince and archangel. The Lord
himself declared Adam to be a prince forever over his own posterity.
Then Adam in his aged
condition rose up and, being filled with the spirit of prophecy, predicted
"whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the [page 9] latest
generation." All this is recorded in section 107 of the Doctrine and
Covenants (verses 53-56) [D&C 107:53-56].
The Prophet Joseph Smith
said that Adam blessed his posterity because "he wanted to bring them into
the presence of God." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel.
Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938, p. 159.)
Here is an illuminating passage
from Section 107 of the Doctrine and Covenants which tells us how Adam was able
to bring himself and his righteous posterity into God's presence:
"The order of this
priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and tightly
belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed, to whom the promises
were made.
"This order was
instituted in the days of Adam, and came down by lineage in [order] … that his
posterity should be the chosen of the Lord, and that they should be preserved
unto the end of the earth." (D&C 107:40-42; italics added.)
How did Adam bring his
descendants into the presence of the Lord?
The answer: Adam and his
descendants entered into the priesthood order of God. Today we would say they
went to the House of the Lord and received their blessings.
The order of priesthood
spoken of in the scriptures is sometimes referred to as the patriarchal order
because it came down from father to son.
But this order is otherwise
described in modern revelation as an order of family government where a man and
woman enter into a covenant with God--just as did Adam and Eve--to be sealed
for eternity, to have posterity, and to do the will and work of God throughout
their mortality.
If a couple are true to
their covenants, they are entitled to the blessing of the highest degree of the
celestial kingdom. These covenants today can only be entered into by going to
the House of the Lord.
Adam followed this order and
brought his posterity into the presence of God. He is the great example for us
to follow.
Enoch followed this pattern
and brought the Saints of his day into the presence of God.
Noah and his son Shem
likewise followed the same pattern after the flood.
Abraham, a righteous servant
of God, desiring as he said, "to be a greater follower of
righteousness," sought for these same blessings. Speaking of the order of
the priesthood, he said: "It was conferred upon me from the fathers; it
came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time … even the right of the
firstborn, or the first man, who is Adam, our first father, through the fathers
unto me." (Abr. 1:2-3.)
So Abraham declared: "I
sought for mine appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of
God unto the fathers." (Abr. 1:4.)
Moses taught this order of
priesthood to his people and "sought diligently to sanctify his people
that they might behold the face of God;
"But they hardened
their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his
wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter
into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.
"Therefore, he took
Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also." (D&C
84:23-25.)
We learn through the Joseph
Smith Translation that the Lord further instructed Moses: "I will take
away the priesthood out of their midst; therefore my holy order, and the
ordinances thereof." (JST Ex. 34:1; italics added.)
This higher priesthood, with
its attendant ordinances, was taken from
My purpose in citing this
background is to illustrate that this order of priesthood has been on the earth
since the beginning, and it is the only means by which we can one day see the
face of God and live. (See D&C 84:22.)
Between Moses and Christ
only certain prophets possessed the right to the higher priesthood and the
blessings that could bring men into the presence of God. One of these prophets
was Elijah.
Elijah held the keys of the
sealing power and did many mighty miracles in his day. He had power to seal the
heavens, raise the dead, relieve the drought-stricken land, and call down fire
from heaven.
He was the last prophet to
hold the keys of the priesthood, according to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was
subsequently translated and taken up into heaven without tasting death.
He, as a translated being,
restored the keys of this priesthood to the Savior's chief Apostles--Peter,
James, and John--on the Mount of Transfiguration. But within a generation, the
Church was destroyed by a major apostasy, and the blessings of the priesthood
were removed from the earth.
It took a new dispensation
from heaven to restore this blessing to our day.
It is significant that the
first revelation given in 1823, recorded as section 2 of the Doctrine and
Covenants, gave this promise about the priesthood:
"Behold, I will reveal
unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming
of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
"And he shall plant in
the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of
the children shall turn to their fathers.
"If it were not so, the
whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming." (D&C 2:1-3.)
What priesthood was Elijah
to reveal? John the Baptist restored the keys to the Aaronic Priesthood. Peter,
James, and John restored the keys of the
"Because he holds the
keys of the authority to administer in all the ordinances of the
priesthood," or the sealing power. (Teachings, p. 172; italics
added.) So said the Prophet Joseph Smith!
The Prophet Joseph said
further that these keys [page 10] were "the revelations, ordinances,
oracles, powers and endowments of the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood and
of the
Even though the Aaronic
Priesthood and Melchizedek Priesthood had been restored to the earth, the Lord
urged the Saints to build a temple to receive the keys by which this order of
priesthood could be administered on the earth again, "for there [was] not
a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was
lost … even the fulness of the priesthood." (D&C 124:28; italics
added.)
Again the Prophet Joseph
said: "If a man gets a fullness of the priesthood of God he has to get it
in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it, and that was by keeping all the
commandments and obeying all the ordinances of the house of the Lord." (Teachings,
p. 308.)
So the
Then, on 3 April 1836, the
Lord Jesus Christ and three other heavenly beings appeared in this holy
edifice. One of these heavenly messengers was Elijah, to whom the Lord said he
had "committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers
to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole
earth may not be smitten with a curse." (D&C 27:9.)
Elijah brought the keys of
sealing powers--that power which seals a man to a woman and seals their
posterity to them endlessly, that which seals their forefathers to them all the
way back to Adam. This is the power and order that Elijah revealed--that same
order of priesthood which God gave to Adam and to all the ancient patriarchs
which followed after him.
And this is why the Lord
said to the Prophet Joseph Smith, "For verily I say unto you, the keys of
the dispensation, which ye have received, have come down from the fathers, and
last of all, being sent down from heaven unto you." (D&C 112:32.)
In a later revelation the
Lord explained:
"In the celestial glory
there are three heavens or degrees;
"And in order to obtain
the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the
new and everlasting covenant of marriage];
"And if he does not, he
cannot obtain it.
"He may enter into the
other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase."
(D&C 131:1-4; italics added.)
When our children obey the Lord and go to the temple to
receive their blessings and enter into the marriage covenant, they enter into
the same order of the priesthood that God instituted in the very beginning with
father Adam.
This order entitles them to the same blessings of Abraham,
of whom the Lord said that he "hath entered into his exaltation and
sitteth upon his throne." (D&C 132:29.)
Then He significantly added: "This promise is yours
also, because ye are of Abraham." (D&C 132:31.)
So again I emphasize: This order of priesthood can only be
entered into when we comply with all the commandments of God and seek the
blessings of the fathers as did Abraham by going to our Father's house. They
are received in no other place on this earth!
I hope you would teach this truth about the temple to your
children and your grandchildren. Go to the temple--our Father's house--to
receive the blessings of your fathers that you may be entitled to the highest
blessings of the priesthood. "For without this no man can see the face of
God, even the Father, and live." (D&C 84:22.)
Our Father's house is a house of order. We go to His house
to enter into that order of priesthood which will entitle us to all that the
Father hath, if we are faithful. For as the Lord has revealed in modern times,
Abraham's seed are "lawful heirs" to the priesthood. (See D&C
86:8-11.)
Now let me say something else to all who can worthily go to
the House of the Lord. When you attend the temple and perform the ordinances
that pertain to the House of the Lord, certain blessings will come to you:
•You will receive the spirit of
Elijah, which will turn your hearts to your spouse, to your children, and to
your forebears.
•You will love your family with a deeper love than you have
loved before.
•Your hearts will be turned to your fathers and theirs to
you.
•You will be endowed with power from on high as the Lord has
promised.
•You will receive the key of the knowledge of God. (See
D&C 84:19.) You will learn how you can be like Him. Even the power of
godliness will be manifest to you. (See D&C 84:20.)
•You will be doing a great service to those who have passed
to the other side of the veil in order that they might be "judged
according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."
(D&C 138:34.)
Such are the blessings of the temple
and the blessings of frequently attending the temple.
So I say at this centennial
commemoration of the
I testify with all my soul
to the truth of this message and pray that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
will bless modern
Key
Ordinance is Marriage and having children.
2 people agree to come together to build a
Wash =
Clean, Anoint = Consecrate, this leads to the Endowment
9 covenants
3 are interconnected
(Doctrine and Covenants
107:53.) –
53
Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan,
Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all high priests, with the
residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of
Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing.
Adam-ondi-Ahman
This term is unique in this
dispensation to Latter-day Saints and is a remnant of the Adamic language (the
original language taught to Adam by God). In this valley, declared by the
Prophet Joseph Smith to be located at Spring Hill,
Selected Quotations
"We have then an understanding
that [Adam-ondi-Ahman] was the place where Adam dwelt. . . . 'Ondi-Ahman' . . .
means the place where Adam dwelt. 'Ahman' signifies God. The whole term means
"The
"I saw Adam in the
"Wednesday, Oct. 3rd, the camp
traveled to Ambrosial Creek where they were visited by the Prophet, his
counselors Sidney Rigdon and Hyrum Smith, and Elder Brigham Young. That evening
one of the brethren said, by the Spirit of the Lord:
"'Brethren, your long and
tedious journey is now ended; you are now on the public
(Daniel H.
Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the New Testament: The Four Gospels
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 7.)
Law
of Consecration
Economic
Portion is written in D&C 42 “The Law of the Gospel”
(Doctrine and Covenants
42:30-39.)
30 And behold, thou wilt
remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support that
which thou hast to impart unto them, with a covenant and a deed which cannot be
broken.
31 And inasmuch as ye
impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me; and they shall
be laid before the bishop of my church and his counselors, two of the elders,
or high priests, such as he shall appoint or has appointed and set apart for that
purpose.
32 And it shall come to
pass, that after they are laid before the bishop of my church, and after that
he has received these testimonies concerning the consecration of the properties
of my church, that they cannot be taken from the church, agreeable to my
commandments, every man shall be made accountable unto me, a steward over his
own property, or that which he has received by consecration, as much as is
sufficient for himself and family.
33 And again, if there
shall be properties in the hands of the church, or any individuals of it, more
than is necessary for their support after this first consecration, which is a
residue to be consecrated unto the bishop, it shall be kept to administer to
those who have not, from time to time, that every man who has need may be amply
supplied and receive according to his wants.
34 Therefore, the residue
shall be kept in my storehouse, to administer to the poor and the needy, as
shall be appointed by the high council of the church, and the bishop and his
council;
35 And for the purpose of
purchasing lands for the public benefit of the church, and building houses of
worship, and building up of the New Jerusalem which is hereafter to be
revealed—
36 That my covenant people
may be gathered in one in that day when I shall come to my temple. And this I
do for the salvation of my people.
37 And it shall come to
pass, that he that sinneth and repenteth not shall be cast out of the church,
and shall not receive again that which he has consecrated unto the poor and the
needy of my church, or in other words, unto me—
38 For inasmuch as ye do
it unto the least of these, ye do it unto me.
39 For it shall come to
pass, that which I spake by the mouths of my prophets shall be fulfilled; for I
will consecrate of the riches of those who embrace my gospel among the Gentiles
unto the poor of my people who are of the house of
These are
the principles of the economic portion, the consecration of property for the
poor to the Bishop and priesthood quorums (Elders and High Priests).
Scriptural
purpose of the law:
- Take care of the poor
- Purchase land
- Build church houses
- New Jerusalem
Doctrine and principles stay the
same, but policies and programs change at various times according to
implementation.
(Moses 7:18.) – Enoch’s Zion
18
And the Lord called his people
- One Heart
- One Mind
- Righteous
- No poor among them
(JST Genesis 14:37-40.) –
Melchizedek’s
37 And he lifted up his
voice, and he blessed Abram, being the high priest, and the keeper of the
storehouse of God;
38 Him whom God had
appointed to receive tithes for the poor.
39 Wherefore, Abram paid
unto him tithes of all that he had, of all the riches which he possessed, which
God had given him more than that which he had need.
40 And it came to pass,
that God blessed Abram, and gave unto him riches, and honor, and lands for an
everlasting possession; according to the covenant which he had made, and
according to the blessing wherewith Melchizedek had blessed him.
- Keeper of the Storehouse of God
- Received tithes for the poor
- Abram gave of his surplus to the Storehouse
(Acts 2:42-45.)
42 And they continued
stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread,
and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon
every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed
were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their
possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had
need.
(Acts 4:32-37.) – Peter’s
32 And the multitude of
them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of
them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had
all things common.
33 And with great power
gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great
grace was upon them all.
34 Neither was there any
among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold
them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
35 And laid them
down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according
as he had need.
36 And Joses, who by the
apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of
consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of
37 Having land, sold it,
and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
- All things in common
- Sold possessions and given to the common
Storehouse, to the Apostles to distribute
- One heart and one soul
Various
Implementations of the Law of Consecration in this Dispensation
Principles
are the same, consecration of property for the poor, given to the Bishop, the
surplus was consecrated to the church, to help the poor and build up the
All things
belong to the Lord, everything we have is a stewardship given to us by the
Lord.
D&C 51 – Law of Consecration and
Stewardship (
(Doctrine and Covenants
51:3, 13)
3
Wherefore, let my servant Edward Partridge, and those whom he has chosen, in
whom I am well pleased, appoint unto this people their portions, every man
equal according to his family, according to his circumstances and his wants and
needs.
13
And again, let the bishop appoint a storehouse unto this church; and let all
things both in money and in meat, which are more than is needful for the wants
of this people, be kept in the hands of the bishop.
Appoint
portions equal according to the family, circumstances, wants and needs.
Bishop appoint
from the storehouse
D&C 56 – Law of Consecration and
Stewardship (
(Doctrine and Covenants
56:16-18.)
16 Wo unto you rich men,
that will not give your substance to the poor, for your riches will canker your
souls; and this shall be your lamentation in the day of visitation, and of
judgment, and of indignation: The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my
soul is not saved!
17 Wo unto you poor men,
whose hearts are not broken, whose spirits are not contrite, and whose bellies
are not satisfied, and whose hands are not stayed from laying hold upon other
men's goods, whose eyes are full of greediness, and who will not labor with
your own hands!
18 But blessed are the
poor who are pure in heart, whose hearts are broken, and whose spirits are
contrite, for they shall see the
Wo unto the
rich who won’t give to the poor
Wo unto the
poor whose hearts are not broken nor their spirits contrite. Who are greedy and won’t work.
Blessed are
the poor who are pure in heart, their hearts are broken and their spirits
contrite.
Edward
Partridge was the Bishop in
D&C 72 – Law of Consecration and
Stewardship (
(Doctrine and Covenants
72:4-5.)
And verily in this thing ye have done wisely,
for it is required of the Lord, at the hand of every steward, to render an
account of his stewardship, both in time and in eternity.
4 For he who is faithful
and wise in time is accounted worthy to inherit the mansions prepared for him
of my Father.
5 Verily I say unto you,
the elders of the church in this part of my vineyard shall render an account of
their stewardship unto the bishop, who shall be appointed of me in this part of
my vineyard.
Render an
account of his stewardship both in time and in eternity.
Part of our
stewardship – Declaring our tithing status every December to our Bishop
Home teaching and visiting teaching
Study the scriptures and the words of the Prophets,
including the lesson
manuals about the Prophets.
The role of
a Bishop in
(Doctrine and Covenants
72:9-12, 16-20.)
9 The word of the Lord, in
addition to the law which has been given, making known the duty of the bishop
who has been ordained unto the church in this part of the vineyard, which is
verily this—
10 To keep the Lord's
storehouse; to receive the funds of the church in this part of the vineyard;
11 To take an account of
the elders as before has been commanded; and to administer to their wants, who
shall pay for that which they receive, inasmuch as they have wherewith to pay;
12 That this also may be
consecrated to the good of the church, to the poor and needy.
16 And now, verily I say
unto you, that as every elder in this part of the vineyard must give an account
of his stewardship unto the bishop in this part of the vineyard—
17 A certificate from the
judge or bishop in this part of the vineyard, unto the bishop in Zion,
rendereth every man acceptable, and answereth all things, for an inheritance,
and to be received as a wise steward and as a faithful laborer;
18 Otherwise he shall not
be accepted of the bishop of
19 And now, verily I say
unto you, let every elder who shall give an account unto the bishop of the
church in this part of the vineyard be recommended by the church or churches,
in which he labors, that he may render himself and his accounts approved in all
things.
20 And again, let my
servants who are appointed as stewards over the literary concerns of my church
have claim for assistance upon the bishop or bishops in all things—
- Bishop to keep Lord’s storehouse
- An account of the Elders and administer to their
wants
- Consecrated to the good of the church to the
poor and needy
- Wise steward and faithful laborer, to help
others become self reliant
D&C 74 = 1 Corinthians 7:14
(Doctrine and Covenants
74:6-7.)
6 That their children
might remain without circumcision; and that the tradition might be done away,
which saith that little children are unholy; for it was had among the Jews;
7 But little children are holy, being sanctified through the
atonement of Jesus Christ; and this is what the scriptures mean.
D&C 76 – Given after the Prophet
translated John 5:29, he with
20-24 – God and Christ
25-29 – Free of Lucifer the
2 Influences
30-49 - Sons of Perdition as a result of mortal experiences
50-70, 92-96 – Vision of the Celestial
kingdom
71-80 – Terrestrial kingdom
81-88 – Telestial kingdom
Christ travels to each kingdom
(other worlds) with additional information.
The faithful may come to understand the rest which could not be written.
But there is an even more marked,
pronounced, and significant difference between various types or levels of truth
than simply their relative importance. There is a difference as to how truths
are comprehended by the mind of man. Most truths we deal with in mortality are
perceived through our natural senses, but there are certain truths necessary to
the redemption of one's soul that are perceived only by revelation through the
Holy Ghost. These truths are not perceived by intellectual activity alone, but
are spiritually discerned. They are, in the language of the Lord, "hidden
treasures" of knowledge (D&C 89:19). Or as Paul said, "If our
gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost"; i.e., hidden to those
without the Spirit (2 Cor. 4:3).
And again in the words of Paul,
speaking of spiritual truths:
God hath revealed them unto us by his
Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. . . .
Even so the things of God knoweth no man, except he has the Spirit of God.
But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned (JST 1 Cor. 2:10-11, 14).
Note that Paul does not say that the
natural man simply does not know the things of God; he says that the
natural man cannot know them. The things of the Spirit are just as real
as are the things of the earth, but they are in a different sphere, and fallen
man's ability to perceive and understand them is so limited that only by the
inspiration of the Holy Ghost can he perceive them.
This same principle is taught in Doctrine
and Covenants 76:115-117, wherein Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon explain why
they did not write more of what they saw in the vision. In the first place,
they said they were forbidden to do so (v. 115). Second, they explained:
Neither is man capable to make them
known, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy
Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before
him;
To whom he grants this privilege of
seeing and knowing for themselves (vv. 116-17).
This principle is also illustrated in
the Savior's words to Peter. When Jesus asked the Twelve who men said that he
was, they replied that some said he was Elijah or John or Jeremiah, or one of
the prophets, etc. But in answer to "whom say ye that I am?" Peter
said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus'
response illustrates both these two categories of truth: "Flesh and blood
hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew
16:15-17). These passages of scripture seem to create a hierarchy of truths,
and seem to say not all truth is available to all persons just for the asking.
This stratification may be the meaning of D&C 93:30, wherein the Lord says:
"All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to
act for itself." Does this passage suggest that there are different
categories (spheres) of truth, and that each is independent of the other? In
other words, are there truths common to our mortal fallen world, and other
truths peculiar to spiritual things? We have already learned that there are
some areas of truth that the natural man cannot know because he does not have
the mechanism for acquiring them. Spiritual truth is only made known by the Spirit
to those who believe, repent, and prepare themselves to obtain it.
Gaining the particular knowledge that
saves is so important that "It is impossible for a man to be saved in
ignorance" (D&C 131:6). Consequently, "a man is saved no faster
than he gets knowledge" of these special truths (Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith 217; see also 301, 305, 331). The knowledge that a
person possesses is fundamental to his thinking and his state of mind. What he
doesn't know can't help him. And contrary to a popular saying, what he
doesn't know can hurt him. Without knowledge he lacks the conviction and
the determination that the right knowledge would have given to him. Even the
approach of great danger, if it is not perceived, has no effect on the
consciousness or emotion of the individual. We see millions of people in the
world today unaware and unconcerned about their relationship to God. We read
that it is impossible for a person without a correct knowledge of God and his
attributes to exercise the degree of faith necessary for life and salvation (Lectures
on Faith 3:1-4, 19). A person cannot have perfect faith in something he
doesn't know anything about. Since this is true, and the scriptures say it is,
we are all obliged to learn some spiritual truths if we want to be saved in the
celestial kingdom. We cannot even have a testimony that Jesus is the Christ,
except by the revelation of the Holy Ghost. Saving truths are divine, not
natural, knowledge.
Since all truths are not of equal
value, and since those truths most necessary in the process of salvation are
gained only through the Holy Spirit of God, one obviously stands in jeopardy if
he does not gain those particular truths through that particular Spirit while
in this life. Job said that the things of God are "past finding out"
(Job 9:10), and his "friend" Zophar asks, "Canst thou by
searching find out God?" (Job 11:7). Obviously, the correct answer to
Zophar's question is, "No! The things of God do not yield themselves to searching
alone." No one can obtain the things of God except by revelation, and God
must reveal himself or else he remains forever unknown. Jacob wrote: "How
unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him. . . . And no man knoweth
of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the
revelations of God" (Jacob 4:8).
A description of the different kinds
of truth could be placed in a paraphrase of the words used by Paul when he was
writing about the different kinds of flesh and the different degrees of glory
(see 1 Cor. 15:39-44). Hence, we could say,
All truth is not the same truth, for
there is one kind of truth common among men, and another kind that pertains to
God. There is also a truth that is gained through the mortal senses, and
another that is gained only through the Spirit. There is one kind of truth that
comes from God, and another kind that comes from men, for one truth differeth
from another truth in glory. So also is the truth that is had in the earth.
There is a natural truth and there is a spiritual truth.
But truth of a spiritual nature is
also different in yet another way. Spiritual truth is not simply bare fact or
mere information. The scriptures speak of light and truth as companions.
The glory of God, which is intelligence, is spoken of as both light and
truth, and not just truth alone (D&C 93:36). The presence of light in
company with knowledge seems to be an essential quality that distinguishes
God's truth (i.e. the knowledge that saves) from the type of truth that is mere
fact, and that even a natural or a wicked man could gain by research and study.
(Monte S.
Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., Second Nephi: The Doctrinal Structure
[Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1989], 193 - 194.)
Those who receive the Second
Comforter see the visions of eternity and have a perfect knowledge of the
mysteries of the kingdom. "And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea,
all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old," saith the Lord,
"and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my
will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom. Yea, even the wonders of
eternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things
of many generations. And their wisdom shall be great and their understanding
reach to heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the
understanding of the prudent shall come to naught. For by my Spirit will I
enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my
will—yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet
entered into the heart of man." (D&C 76:7-10.)
Among those who received the Second
Comforter are the three Nephites, whom we have been using as a pattern and type
of what men will be like in the Millennium. These three American apostles
"were caught up into heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things. And it
was forbidden them that they should utter; neither was it given unto them power
that they could utter the things which they saw and heard; and whether they
were in the body or out of the body, they could not tell; for it did seem unto
them like a transfiguration of them, that they were changed from this body of
flesh into an immortal state, that they could behold the things of God."
(3 Ne. 28:13-15.)
Now, having in mind these concepts
about the Second Comforter, and knowing that all those who so obtain have their
callings and elections made sure, let us catch the vision, if we can, of one of
the great prophetic utterances of Jeremiah. "Behold, the days come, saith
the Lord"—and we shall soon show that the days involved are
millennial—"that I will make a new covenant with the house of
"But this shall be the covenant
that I will make with the house of
Joseph Smith tells us that Jeremiah's
prophecy will be fulfilled during the Millennium. The Prophet speaks of making
one's calling and election sure and of the sealing power whereby "we may
be sealed up unto the day of redemption." Then he says: "This
principle ought (in its proper place) to be taught, for God hath not revealed
anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the
least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them, for the day
must come when no man need say to his neighbor, Know ye the Lord; for all shall
know Him (who remain) from the least to the greatest." These are the very
words of Jeremiah's prophecy; and they will find their complete fulfillment
among those "who remain," those who abide the day, those who gain an
inheritance on the new earth when it receives its paradisiacal glory again.
"How is this to be done?" the Prophet asks. How shall men come to
know the Lord and understand all the hidden mysteries of his kingdom without a
teacher? His answer: "It is to be done by this sealing power, and the
other Comforter spoken of, which will be manifest by revelation." (Teachings,
p. 149.)
Men will know God in the millennial
day because they see him. He will teach them face to face. They will know the
mysteries of his kingdom because they are caught up to the third heaven, as was
Paul. They will receive the Second Comforter. The millennial day is the day of
the Second Comforter, and whereas but few have been blessed with this divine
association in times past, great hosts will be so blessed in times to come.
What, then, will be the nature of
worship during the Millennium? It will be pure and perfect, and through it men
will become inheritors of eternal life. And in this connection, be it known
that it is the privilege of the saints today to separate themselves from the
world and to receive millennial blessings in their lives. And any person who
today abides the laws that will be kept during the Millennium will receive,
here and now, the spirit and blessings of the Millennium in his life, even
though he is surrounded by a world of sin and evil. And so we say, in the
language of Joseph Smith as he finished the record of the vision of the three
degrees of glory: "Great and marvelous are the works of the Lord, and the
mysteries of his kingdom which he showed unto us, which surpass all
understanding in glory, and in might, and in dominion; Which he commanded us we
should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful for man to
utter; Neither is man capable to make them known, for they are only to be seen
and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who
love him, and purify themselves before him; To whom he grants this privilege of
seeing and knowing for themselves; That through the power and manifestation of
the Spirit, while in the flesh, they may be able to bear his presence in the
world of glory. And to God and the Lamb be glory, and honor, and dominion
forever and ever. Amen." (D&C 76:116D&C 76:114-119.)
(Bruce R.
McConkie, The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 680.)
Baptismal Covenant:
- Take upon yourself the name of
Christ
Taking
upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ensign, May 1985, pp. 80-83
When the priest offers the
scriptural prayer on the bread at the sacrament table, he prays that all who
partake may "witness" unto God, the Eternal Father, "that they
are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son." (D&C 20:77; Moro.
4:3.) This witness has several different meanings.
It causes us to renew the
covenant we made in the waters of baptism to take upon us the name of Jesus
Christ and serve him to the end. We also take upon us his name as we publicly
profess our belief in him, as we fulfill our obligations as members of his
Church, and as we do the work of his kingdom.
But there is something
beyond these familiar meanings, because what we witness is not that we take
upon us his name but that we are willing to do so. In this sense, our witness
relates to some future event or status whose attainment is not self-assumed,
but depends on the authority or initiative of the Savior himself.
Scriptural references to the
name of Jesus Christ often signify the authority of Jesus Christ. In that
sense, our willingness to take upon us his name signifies our willingness to
take upon us the authority of Jesus Christ in the sacred ordinances of the
temple, and to receive the highest blessings available through his authority
when he chooses to confer them upon us.
Finally, our willingness to
take upon us the name of Jesus Christ affirms our commitment to do all that we
can to be counted among those whom he will choose to stand at his right hand
and be called by his name at the last day. In this sacred sense, our witness
that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ constitutes our
declaration of candidacy for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. Exaltation is
eternal life, "the greatest of all the gifts of God." (D&C 14:7.)
That is what we should
ponder as we partake of the sacred emblems of the sacrament. As we do so, we
glory in the mission of the risen Lord, who lived and taught and suffered and
died and rose again that all mankind might have immortality and eternal life.
Of this I testify in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose witness I
am, amen.
- You are an agent of Christ – to
do His will and keep His commandments.
We will receive for our salary if worthy, mansions prepared by our
Heavenly Father.
- Agents are accountable for
their stewardship
- Agency – the power to act for
Christ. We are free to choose good
or evil and once exercised we are an agent to one or the other.
- We have the right to choose,
but not the right to choose evil.
- Only God can declare moral
rights and consequences.
(Doctrine and Covenants
78:3-10.) – United Firm or Order
3 For verily I say unto
you, the time has come, and is now at hand; and behold, and lo, it must needs
be that there be an organization of my people, in regulating and establishing
the affairs of the storehouse for the poor of my people, both in this place and
in the land of Zion—
4 For a permanent and
everlasting establishment and order unto my church, to advance the cause, which
ye have espoused, to the salvation of man, and to the glory of your Father who
is in heaven;
5 That you may be equal in
the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining
of heavenly things.
6 For if ye are not equal
in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things;
7 For if you will that I
give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by
doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you.
8 And now, verily thus
saith the Lord, it is expedient that all things be done unto my glory, by you
who are joined together in this order;
9 Or, in other words, let
my servant Newel K. Whitney and my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and my servant
Sidney Rigdon sit in council with the saints which are in
10 Otherwise Satan seeketh
to turn their hearts away from the truth, that they become blinded and
understand not the things which are prepared for them.
Doctrine and Covenants 78:3-5
What was the united order?
In the revelation recorded in
Doctrine and Covenants 78, the Lord called some of the leaders of the Church to
unite by covenant to form what became known as the "united order"
(D&C 104:1), or "united firm." This was an administrative body to
coordinate and operate various business enterprises related to the law of
consecration.
The phrase "united order"
has also frequently been used as a synonym for "law of consecration."
Cooperative ventures in
(Richard O. Cowan, Answers to Your
Questions About the Doctrine and Covenants [
United under the Laws of the
(D&C 42, 51, 78, 82, 83, 104,
etc.)
MILTON V. BACKMAN, JR. AND KEITH W.
PERKINS
Temporal welfare has been a major
concern of people in all ages. Early in this dispensation the Prophet Joseph
Smith became concerned about this problem; partly because of these concerns the
Prophet went to the Lord. Subsequently, the law of consecration or the United
Order (as called in some revelations) was unfolded. fn
Like many other principles of the gospel,
the law of consecration and stewardship of property was gradually made known to
the Prophet Joseph Smith, who in turn gradually disclosed these principles to
Latter-day Saints, line upon line, precept upon precept. Some members of the
Church were granted an opportunity to live this higher law, but most failed.
The law was misinterpreted, misunderstood, neglected, and eventually replaced
by a less comprehensive law, the law of tithing (D&C 119).
In one of the revelations instructing
the Saints to move to
Section 42 of the Doctrine and
Covenants contains a series of laws and policies, including such matters as
preaching the gospel, moral laws and commandments (including a number of the
ten commandments), administering to the sick, location of the New Jerusalem and
other mysteries of the kingdom to be revealed, and punishment for
transgression. This revelation, along with a number of others, also contains a
partial description of what is sometimes called the United Order or the law of
consecration.
Guiding Principles of the United Order
The revelations of the Lord
pertaining to consecration or the United Order, contain six major categories
that are the guiding principles under which this law was to operate. These six
categories are: (1) the earth is the Lord's, (2) all people are children of
God, (3) free agency, (4) management by a central agency, (5) specified
behavior patterns, and (6) private ownership of property.
Let us examine (in outline form) some
details from the Doctrine and Covenants and Joseph Smith's History of the
Church under these six general categories. In doing so, we may gain a much
clearer understanding of how the law of consecration or the United Order was to
be lived, and also the principles which guided it.
I. The Earth Is the Lord's
A. Lord created the earth (14:9;
104:14).
B. Earth is rich; there is enough and
to spare for all people (38:17; 104:17).
C. Riches of eternity promised by the
Lord (38:39).
D. Goods given to the poor are given
to the Lord (42:31).
E. Poor provided for in the Lord's
own way (104:15-16).
F. Lord is no respector of persons,
rich or poor (38:16).
II. All People Are Children of God
A. Esteem brother as self (38:24-25).
B. Be one or not the Lord's (38:27).
C. We are responsible for the poor,
needy, widow, and orphan so there will be no suffering (38:35; 83:1-6).
D. To be equal spiritually we must be
equal temporally (78:6).
E. Poor will be exalted and the rich
humbled (104:16-17).
III. Free Agency
A. Free agency is basic to the law
(104:17).
B. Stewardships were received
according to just wants, needs, family, and circumstances (51:3; 82:17).
C. A person leaving the order
retained his stewardship (51:5).
D. Saints had the privilege of
organizing according to the Lord's law (51:15).
E. If the bishop and an individual
did not agree on the amount the individual received as a stewardship, the
contributor had the right of appeal (HC 1:364-65).
IV. Management by a Central Agency
A. Properties were consecrated to the
Lord through the Lord's agents, the bishop and his two counselors, with a
covenant and deed which could not be broken (42:30-31; 58:35-36).
B. Stewardships received by written
deed from a bishop (51:4).
C. Surplus property, money, and food
were placed in a bishop's storehouse (42:33-35; 51:13).
D. Surpluses provided food and
clothing for poor and needy and were used to purchase additional property
(42:33-35; 58:37, 49; 83:1-6).
E. Deeds conveyed according to the
laws of the land ( 51:6).
F. Two treasuries in Order: the
sacred treasury and "another treasury" (104:60-72).
V. Specified Behavior Patterns
A. Labor with own hands (38:40)
B. Deal honestly and receive alike (
51:4).
C. Avoid pride (42:40).
D. Avoid idleness (42:42; 56:17).
E. Pay for what was received (42:54).
F. Pay debts (104:78).
G. Improve talents and gain
additional talents for the benefit of all (82:18).
H. Be faithful, just, and wise
(51:19).
I. Give an accounting of stewardships
to the Bishop (42:32; 72:16-18; 104:11-13).
J. Seek interest of neighbor and
glorify God (82:19).
VI. Private Ownership of Property
A. Pay for what was received from
another branch of the Order (51:11).
B. System not communal (HC
1:146-47; 3:28; 4:33; 6:37, 38).
C. Surpluses given to Church after
the needs and wants of an individual or family are provided for (42:32-34).
D. Everyone to provide for own needs
(75:28).
E. Saints to stand independent of all
other creatures (78:14).
F. Initiative rewarded (82:17-18).
G. If individual left the order, he
had no claim on original consecration, but the stewardship was retained by
individual (42:37; 51:5).
The law of consecration and
stewardship, or the United Order, was unfolded in the 1830s as the Welfare
Program has been revealed in our day for similar reasons: to provide for the
poor, needy, widows, and orphans, and to help the Saints obtain unity.
On 4 February 1831 Edward Partridge
had been called by revelation as the first bishop of the Church. He was
commanded to sell his property and devote full time to the "labors of the
church" (see D&C 41:9). Sections 42 and 51 provided Bishop Partridge
with instructions regarding his responsibilities.
Problems in Implementing the Law
A variety of problems interfered with
the immediate application of the law of consecration in
Arrival of
The problem of applying this law was
compounded by the migration of about two hundred Latter-day Saints to
Some of the economic problems of the
Ohio Saints seemed to be alleviated when Leman Copley, a former Shaker who
lived in Thompson—located about twenty miles east of Kirtland—joined the
Church. Copley granted the immigrants the right to settle on his farm.
Consequently, most of the New York Saints established their homes there. fn
The Thompson Saints
As the New York Saints continued to
arrive, Bishop Partridge sought additional advice from Joseph concerning the
United Order. The Prophet again inquired of the Lord and in mid-May, shortly
after most of the Eastern Saints had settled in
When Leman Copley left the Order, the
Saints were in a difficult situation. After initiating a building program in
Thompson, they were ordered by the legal owner of the property to leave. They
had sacrificed economically while complying with the commandment to move to
The New York Saints were not the only
members to move West. Most of the converts, including those who are known to
have been members of "the Family" and had been living in Kirtland in
the fall of 1830, also migrated to Jackson County, Missouri. Morley sold his
farm in Kirtland and received an inheritance in the West. Some of the Saints,
including Bishop Edward Partridge, Titus Billings, and A. Sidney Gilbert (Newel
K. Whitney's business partner), emigrated in harmony with revelations received
by the Prophet. Members in Kirtland were instructed by revelation to assist
financially in the building of the
Gathering at Kirtland
But Kirtland was not abandoned. After
returning from
Meanwhile, Kirtland did not become a
major gathering place for the Saints until members began building a temple in
the summer of 1833. After selling their farms, immigrants from the East brought
money to Kirtland, but instead of buying farms and building homes that compared
with their former residences, many sacrificed and contributed generously to
building a House for the Lord. fn
Failure of United Order in
Developments in
On several occasions, the Prophet
wrote to Church leaders in
Commenting on Bishop Partridge's
modification of the United Order in Missouri, President J. Reuben Clark, Jr.,
former member of the First Presidency, said that the "lease-lend"
principle was not in accordance with the revelations which Joseph Smith
received regarding the United Order. Basic to this principle, he added, was the
private ownership of property. "Every man owned his portion, or
inheritance, or stewardship, with an absolute title." This inheritance was
to be used for the support of himself and his family. "There is nothing in
the revelations that would indicate that this property was not freely alienable
at the will of the owner. [And] it was not contemplated that the Church should
own everything." Moreover, "life under the United Order was not a
communal life, as the Prophet Joseph, himself, said (HC 3:28). The
United Order is an individualistic system, not a communal [nor communistic]
system." fn
After experiencing frustrations and
failures for almost a decade, in 1838 members throughout the Church were given
a less comprehensive law, the law of tithing (see D&C 119).
The United Order in Kirtland
Meanwhile, some members in Kirtland
were striving to live the law of consecration or the United Order, although the
practice was not precisely the same as the basic principles that were revealed.
During the brief period the United Order was practiced in
All attempts to live the principles
outlined by the Lord to unite the Saints and provide for the poor are simply
examples of learning to live the gospel, line upon line and precept upon
precept. Welfare Services today, for example, is another effort to live these
principles outlined by the Lord.
Thus . . . in many of its great
essentials, we have [in] the welfare plan . . . the broad essentials of the
United Order. (J. Reuben Clark,] Conference Report, October 1942, pp.
57-58) . . .
It is thus apparent that when the
principles of tithing and the fast are properly observed and the welfare plan
gets fully developed and wholly into operation, we shall not be so very far
from carrying out the great fundamentals of the United Order. The only
limitation on you and me is within ourselves. fn
It is not clear when early Latter-day
Saints began to live the United Order (or as it is called in other documents,
the "United Firm"). In a revelation (4 December 1831) making known
the duties of Newel K. Whitney, second bishop of the Church, the Lord declared
that while the Saints in Missouri were to operate the United Order under the
direction of Bishop Edward Partridge, the Order in Kirtland was to be under the
direction of Bishop Whitney (D&C 72:5). Not only were members to give an
accounting of their stewardship to him, but he was to keep the Lord's
storehouse, receive Church funds, take account of the elders, and administer to
the wants of the elders and the poor through the consecration of the Saints
(D&C 72:9-12). He was, however, to operate under the direction of Bishop
Partridge in
Section 78
By March 1832 the United Order was
organized not only in
According to the minutes of the
United Order for 30 April 1832, two agents were appointed for the Order, A.
Sidney Gilbert in
These early days in the Order must
have been days of inquiry and searching for the best way to implement the
program among the Saints. In a letter from the Prophet Joseph Smith to Oliver
Cowdery, in response to inquiries regarding the procedures to be followed in
the United Order, the Prophet gave this advice: "I have nothing further to
say on the subject than to recommend that you make yourself acquainted with the
commandments of the Lord, and the laws of the state, and govern yourselves
accordingly." fn
The original members of the United
Order were ten leaders of the Church. fn Under the direction of the Lord the
group was increased by two members. On 15 March 1833 Frederick G. Williams was
added to the group (D&C 92:1-2). Two months earlier it had been decided to
pay him $300 annually for his services as assistant scribe for the Order.24 On
4 June 1833 John Johnson, Sr. was selected to be a member of the Order (D&C
96:6-9).
The United Order continued to
purchase land and operate the Newel K. Whitney Store in Kirtland and the A.
Sidney Gilbert Store in
Section 104
Thirteen days later the Lord gave
specific direction on the division of stewardships. It must be remembered that
some very dramatic events had made this move necessary. The Saints in Jackson
County, Missouri, had been driven from their inheritances and therefore it was
impossible to continue functioning as a united group. It is also obvious that
the Lord never intended that the Saints participate in a communal order; while
the Prophet was requesting information on what action should be taken, he
received a reaffirmation of how to implement the Lord's economic order.
In this revelation the Lord reminded
the Saints that it was he who commanded the United Order to be organized as an
everlasting order until he returns (D&C 104:1). Those who had been obedient
to the Order had obtained great blessings, while those who had transgressed
their covenants were cursed (vv. 5-10).
The Lord again clarified the correct
procedure in implementing the United Order. Individual stewardships were
allocated to the various members of the Order and each would be responsible for
giving an accounting of this stewardship to the Lord (vv. 11-13). First, Sidney
Rigdon received his place of residence and the tannery (v. 20).
Second, Martin Harris received a lot
from John Johnson and was to devote his money for the purpose of proclaiming
"my words" (vv. 24, 26).
Third, Frederick G. Williams was
given as a stewardship the place where he lived (v. 27).
Fourth, Oliver Cowdery received Lot
One of the Kirtland Plat and also his father's lot (v. 28). Jointly Oliver and
President Williams received the printing office. This was the beginning of the
stewardship appointed unto them and their descendants (vv. 29-31).
Fifth, John Johnson had allocated to
him his residence and the one hundred plus acre French Farm which had been
purchased on 10 April 1833, except the temple lot and the lots assigned to
Oliver Cowdery (v. 34). Lots were to be rayed out and sold "for the
building up of the city of my saints" as it would be made known to Brother
Johnson by the voice of the Spirit and by the voice of the Order (v. 36).
Sixth, Newel K. Whitney received the
houses and lots where he resided, the store, the lot directly south of the
store, and the ashery (v. 39). Bishop Whitney was to continue to play a major
roll in "my order which I have established for my stake in
the
Seventh, Joseph Smith, Jr. received
as a stewardship the temple lot and the inheritance where his father resided.
The Joseph Smith, Sr. stewardship was to be reckoned with the Prophet's (vv.
43, 45).
As a part of the individual
stewardships, the United Order between
This reorganization by the Lord
really was implementing the principles already given by the Lord, for as he had
said in this revelation, the properties were his and the Saints were his
stewards (vv. 55-56).
One purpose for the organization of
the Order was to print Joseph Smith's translation of the Bible and the Doctrine
and Covenants. This would help prepare the Saints for the time when Christ
would come and dwell among his people (v. 59). In addition, they were to prepare
two treasuries and appoint a treasurer over each. The first was the
"sacred treasury of the Lord." The funds in this treasury were for
the purpose of printing the scriptures and other Church works. The profits
acquired from this treasury were only to be used by consent of the Order and
the Lord (vv. 60-66).
The other treasury was for the
purpose of receiving all the improvements resulting from their individual
stewardships. These could be of many types: houses, lands, cattle, money,
everything except the "sacred writings" (v. 68). Once these items
were placed in the treasury they no longer were a part of an individual's
stewardship but belonged to the Order; none could be removed without the
approval of those in the Order (vv. 70-71). If an individual in the United
Order needed anything in this "other treasury" to assist him in his
stewardship, with the approval and the common consent of the Order, the
treasurer could give him what was required. He was forbidden to withhold
anything approved by the common consent of the Order (vv. 72-75).
When this reorganization of the
United Order in Kirtland came to an end is difficult to determine. However, the
word of the Lord in D&C 105:34 removed from the Saints in Missouri the
responsibility of living the law of consecration and stewardship of property
until after the redemption of Zion.
By 1837 the United Order in Kirtland
had definitely come to an end when a financial crisis struck. This economic
plight was one of many factors that led to an apostasy in the Church, and
forced Joseph to flee from Kirtland to save his life. In January 1838, seven
years after he had initially settled in that community and five years after he
had returned from his short stay in Hiram, the Prophet left Kirtland for the
last time. Meanwhile, through the application of the principle of stewardship,
which includes manifestations of love and sacrifice, Latter-day Saints made
Kirtland into a stronghold for exactly five years. During this remarkable
period, this religious community experienced an unusual outpouring of the
blessing of God. Many Kirtland Saints experienced a memorable spiritual feast
that was in the words of Oliver Cowdery too "[glorious] to be described. I
only say," he added, "the heavens were opened to many, and great and
marvelous things" were unfolded to Latter-day Saints. fn
Efforts to live the principles of the
United Order were attempted later in
Notes United Under the Laws of the
1. "These principles of union,
which the Latter-day Saints in former times ignored, and in consequence of
disobedience of them were driven from Missouri, are called by different names—united
order, order of Enoch, the principles of union of the celestial law, etc. When
we search the revelations of God in regard to them, we see that wherever the
gospel of the Son of God has been revealed in its fullness, the principles of
the united order were made manifest, and required to be observed" (Lorenzo
Snow, JD 19:342). Although today many use the term "law of
consecration and stewardship" to describe certain principles that are
designed to bring about unity, support Church programs, and care for the poor,
and United Order to describe the implementation of these principles, the
scriptures and most Church leaders have used "United Order" to
describe both.
2. John Whitmer, An Early Latter
Day Saint History: The Book of John Whitmer Kept by Commandment, ed. F.
Mark McKiernan and Roger D. Launius (Independence, Mo.: Herald Publishing
House, 1980), p. 37.
3. HC 1:148; Whitmer, Book
of John Whitmer, p. 38.
4. Whitmer, Book of John Whitmer, p.
42.
5. Milton V. Backman, Jr., The
Heavens Resound: A History of the Latter-day Saints in
6. The Levi Hancock Journal,
n.p., n.d., p. 28.
7. Whitmer, Book of John Whitmer,
p. 54.
8. Ibid., p. 74.
9. J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Conference
Report, October 1942, pp. 54-59.
10. Cited by Albert E. Bowen, The
Church Welfare Plan (Salt Lake City: Deseret Sunday School Union, 1946), p.
25.
11. HC 1:180; Newel K. Knight,
Scraps of Biography: The Tenth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series (Salt
Lake City: Juvenile Instructor, 1883), chapter 6.
12. For a more complete discussion of
the Leman Copley problem and the Thompson Saints, see Keith W. Perkins,
"The Ministry of the Shakers," found herein.
13. Backman, Heavens Resound,
p. 16.
14. For a discussion of the
application of the United Order in
15. Joseph Smith to William W.
Phelps, 27 November 1832, cited in HC 1:297-99.
16. Robert J. Woodford, "The
Historical Development of the Doctrine and Covenants," unpublished Ph.D.
dissertation,
17. Woodford, "Historical
Development," p. 672.
18. J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Conference
Report, October 1942, p. 57.
19. Marion G. Romney, Look to God
and Live, comp. George J. Romney (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1973),
pp. 227-28.
20. Donald Q. Cannon and Lyndon W.
Cook, ea., Far West Record (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1983), pp.
47-8.
21. Ibid., p. 46.
22. HC 1:341.
23. The original members of the
United Order were Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Jesse Gause of the First
Presidency; Bishops Edward Partridge and Newel K. Whitney; Oliver Cowdery and
William W. Phelps, printers of the Church; A. Sidney Gilbert, agent in Zion;
John Whitmer, the Lord's clerk; and Martin Harrris, one of the three witnesses
(see D&C 70:1-5; 82:11-12; 104:19-46; Far West Record, p. 47).
24. Kirtland Council Minute Book,
located in Historical Department of the Church, 9 January 1833.
25. Dean C. Jessee, comp. and ea., The
Personal Writings of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1984),
p. 32.
26.
27. Oliver Cowdery, Sketch Book 21
January 1836, Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
28. Leonard J. Arrington,
29. Look to God and Live, p.
227.
(Robert L. Millet and Kent P.
Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine and Covenants
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 170.)
There is no other penalty, for the
contract is between the individual and his Heavenly Father alone. As Heber C.
Kimball reminded the saints, there are no covenants made between individuals in
the church. All promises and agreements are between the individual and our
Father in Heaven; all other parties, including the angels, are present only as
witnesses. Therefore whether anybody else observes and keeps the promise is not
my concern, but if I do not do what I have promised, what blessings can I expect?
Another disturbing thing is that I
cannot put off fulfilling my part of the agreement. "The time has come,
and is now at hand; and behold, and lo, it must needs be that there be an
organization of my people, in regulating and establishing the affairs of the
storehouse for the poor of my people . . . in the land of Zion [or in other
words, the city of Enoch]—for a permanent and everlasting establishment and
order unto my church" (D&C 78:3D&C 78:3-4). It must begin now
and from here on must continue. This is essential, we are told, if the church
is to fulfill its purpose: "To advance the cause, which ye have espoused,
to the salvation of man, and to the glory of the Father who is in heaven"
(D&C 78:4). This is the way he wants it; the law of consecration is
inseparable from the law of God, the law of obedience, and the law of sacrifice
which the saints have already accepted.
Can it for any reason be postponed?
No! Those who have failed to keep it here and now are denounced: "Inasmuch
as some of my servants have not kept the commandment, but have broken the covenant
. . . I have cursed them with a very sore and grievous curse" (D&C
104:4). Why on earth would anyone want to disregard it after accepting the
gospel and bidding farewell to the ways of the world? The answer: "by
covetousness and feigned words" (D&C 104:52)—unable to give up their
habits of greed, they pretended to accept what they did not accept. Of course,
they argued that the thing wasn't practical or convenient just then. When will
it be? Thirty years after the above revelation, Brigham Young, along with John
Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow, were still vigorously appealing to
the saints to wake up:
Some of our Elders, and, in fact,
some of the Twelve will tell you, "yes, yes, the Order is a splendid
principle and will bring happiness, etc., but it is not hardly time to enter
into it, wait a little while until the people understand it a little
better." Why, they are fools! They don't know what they talk about. They
have ears to hear and will not hearken, and have eyes to see and will not
understand. . . . When our conduct hedges up the way of angels how can they
bless us? . . . How can they help us work out our salvation? When Joseph Smith
was alive I can say that I never heard him lay one plan out for the people but
would have been a success if it had been carried out as he directed. And I have
seen the same thing in myself. I don't care how the world goes, what the
President [of the
So spoke Brigham Young at St. George
on June 1, 1876, commenting on the purposes of the temple there.
(Hugh
Nibley, Approaching Zion, edited by Don E. Norton [Salt Lake City and
Provo: Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies,
1989], 384 - 385.)
Law of Consecration and Stewardship
(Today)
Tithing,
Fast offerings, welfare, PEF, Missionary,
The Law of Worship and the Law of Sacrifice
Bruce Satterfield
Department of
[Found in New Perspectives, Fall Semester Vol.
14, No. 2, November 1997, pp. 14-16.]
In holy temples, we enter
into covenants with God that are essential for our progress towards exaltation.
One such covenant centers on the law of sacrifice.(1)
It is important to understand the intent of the law of sacrifice in order to
honor the covenant associated with it. A study of the scriptures will greatly
aid our coming to understand the spirit of the law of sacrifice while at the
same time increasing our motivation and determination to live the law.
According to the scriptural
account, after Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden of Eden, they
"called upon the name of the Lord." What they prayed for is not
stated. But it must be certain that at least one of the things they wanted to
know was how to do to regain God's presence for as the account reads,
"they were shut out from his presence" (Moses 5:4). In response to
their prayers, the Lord said "that they should worship the Lord their God,
and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the
Lord" (Moses 5:5).
The law of worship has been
given to man in every age. In our dispensation, the Lord told the Church,
"all men must repent and believe on the name of Jesus Christ, and worship
the Father in his name. . . . or they cannot be saved in the
The law of worship and the
law of sacrifice are inherently connected. The ritual associated with the law
of sacrifice is a visual representation of the law of worship. We are not told
specifically how Adam performed the ritual of the law of sacrifice. We do know,
however, that the law of sacrifice was passed on to Adam's posterity. It
continued to the time of Moses and was incorporated in the law of Moses. In
Leviticus chapter one, a detailed description of the ritual associated with the
law of sacrifice is given. This description is very revealing. Since the
"law of sacrifice is required of all disciples,"(3)
the description of the sacrificial procedure will help in understanding what is
meant by the law of sacrifice and the law of worship.
According to Leviticus 1,
the offering was first killed (vs. 5). After it was killed, the animal was
flayed, or skinned (vs. 6). The skin was not to be burnt for that would produce
an offensive smell; the sacrifice was to be a "sweet savour unto the
Lord" (vs. 9), meaning that this sacrifice was acceptable to God. The
animal was then cut into pieces and laid in a specified order on the altar
(vss. 6-9). First, the head was removed and placed on the altar. Second, the
fat was cut off and laid next to the head. Then the inwards were taken out and
laid next to the fat. After that, the legs were cut off the carcass and laid
next to the inwards. Finally, the carcass was placed on the altar. After all
this was done, the entire animal was consumed in flames. It seems that the
sacrificial offerings performed at the time of Adam were similar to the
procedure described in Leviticus 1 for we are told that Abel "brought of the
firstlings of his flock, and the fat thereof" (Genesis 4:4;Moses
5:20; emphasis added).
The Hebrew name of the burnt
offering is olah ("that which goes up"), meaning the offering
that goes up or is given up to God. The translation of olah in the King
James Version is the "burnt offering" because the entire animal was
consumed in the flames of the fire, and, unlike other sacrifices, no part was
eaten by the offerer or priest. The symbolism of this is clear: the burnt
offering was a consecration offering. In other words, the entire offering was
consecrated to God. It can be seen from this that the law of sacrifice is not
only inherently connected with the law of worship but also with another
covenant made in the temple, the law of consecration. Of this, Elder Bruce R.
McConkie taught: "Sacrifice and consecration are inseparably
intertwined"(4)
But what was being
sacrificed or consecrated to God? The answer was given to Adam and Eve. After
"many days" of performing the ritual associated with the law of
sacrifice, "an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou
offer sacrifices unto the Lord?" Adam responded by saying, "I know
not, save the Lord commanded me." Then the angel explained the meaning of
the sacrifice in these words: "This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice
of the Only Begotten of the Father" (Moses 5:6-7). That is, the lamb
symbolized the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in behalf of Adam and Eve and their
posterity.
The cutting of the lamb into
pieces and placing the pieces on the altar to be entirely consumed by the
flames was a representation of the worship, sacrifice, and consecration of
Jesus Christ to God's work and glory. His worship and sacrifice was evidenced
by his consecrating all he had to the building of the
Just as Jesus Christ would
sacrifice and consecrate all he had to God's work and glory so must Adam and
Eve (and their posterity) sacrifice all they have for the same purpose.(5)
Therefore, the angel told Adam and Eve that from that day forward, everything
they did was to be done "in the name of the Son" (Moses 5:7-8). Paul
stated it this way: "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). It
is in this way that many in the past "who had been faithful in the
testimony of Jesus while they lived in mortality" had "offered
sacrifice in the similitude of the great sacrifice of the Son of God"
(D&C 138:12-13).
The scriptures also reveal
many other insights relative to the law of sacrifice that are helpful. For
instance, as already noted, the ritual associated with the law of sacrifice
became an important part of the law of Moses. In fact, the burnt offering was
to be offered "day by day" in both the morning and the evening
(Numbers 28:3-4). This was to continually remind
The Old Testament is clear
that performing the ritual of sacrifice was not as important as the intent of
the rite. When Saul was commanded by the prophet Samuel to lead the Israelites
in battle against their age old enemy, the Amalekites, he was told to
"utterly destroy all that they [the Amalekites] have, and spare them not;
but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and
ass" (1 Samuel 15:3). However, Saul was disobedient to the command of the
Lord through Samuel. After defeating the Amalekites, and killing all the
people, he spared "the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the
fatlings, and the lambs" that he might offer "sacrifice unto the
Lord" (1 Samuel 15:9-21). Saul's disobedience violated the very intent of
the law of sacrifice. Therefore, Samuel rebuked Saul saying, "Hath the
LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the
voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken
than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22). Likewise, a later prophet chided
The relationship between the
intent of the law of sacrifice and the ritual is well illustrated in the story
of Lehi. When Lehi was commanded to leave
Note the similarity in the
life of Abraham. After the Lord had told him to "Get thee out of thy
country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I
will shew thee," Abraham obediently left his land and people and came into
the
In fact, the whole life of
Abraham is a paradigm of how the law of sacrifice should be lived. At various
times, he was asked to give up mortal things for higher ideals. In all cases,
Abraham was obedient to the law of sacrifice (see Genesis 12-22) and therefore,
he achieved his exaltation (see D&C 132:29-37). Abraham epitomizes what
Joseph Smith said about the law of sacrifice. He explained that the law of
sacrifice requires a "man to lay down his all, his character and
reputation, his honor, and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his
lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life
-- counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of
Jesus Christ."(6)
The example of Abraham and
Lehi is found in other places in the scriptures. For instance, the law of
sacrifice permeates the entire gospel of Matthew. Note the following examples.
Upon seeing the star that signaled the birth of the Messiah, the wise men
demonstrated their willingness to make a sacrifice for a higher cause by
leaving their homeland and making an extended journey to find the Christ child
and pay homage to him. The giving of their treasure, which included the
expensive gifts of "gold, and frankincense, and myrrh," was a further
demonstration of their willingness to sacrifice what they had to the child who
would bring salvation to all men (see Matt. 2:1-12). In stark contrast, Herod,
the king of the Savior's own people, was not willing to sacrifice anything to
worship the Savior but instead attempted to assassinate his would be rival
(Matt. 2:1-18). Matthew also records the sacrifice made by some of the Savior's
disciples. When Peter, Andrew, James, and John were asked to follow the Savior,
"they straightway left their nets [occupation], and followed him."
Interestingly enough, the account reveals that James and John not only left
their nets, but their father also (Matt. 4:18-22). Speaking of this kind of
sacrifice, Matthew records the Savior saying, "He that loveth father or
mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37). Again, on another
occasion, the Savior said: "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or
brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for
my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life"
(Matt. 19:29). Matthew also records that the ultimate sacrifice made by any man
was made by the Savior himself when he retired to
The scriptures inform us
that with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ the ritual associated with the law of
sacrifice, the killing of an animal, was done away with. After the great
destruction had come upon the land associated with the death of Christ, the
Lord said to the people: "ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding
of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for
I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings." Instead
of offering blood sacrifices, the Lord required a new sacrifice: "And ye
shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit"
(3 Nephi 9:19-20). In the Doctrine and Covenants, the latter-day Church was
given the same commandment: "Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord
thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite
spirit" (D&C 59:8).
For one to offer a sacrifice
of a broken heart and a contrite spirit, he must recognize his spiritual
poorness, mourn his sins, and come unto Christ for forgiveness. When that
happens, the sacrifice of Christ will come into his heart and comfort him
through the miracle of forgiveness (see 3 Nephi 12:3-4). Elder Neal A. Maxwell
spoke of this in these terms:
"So it is that real,
personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a
willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed!
Such is the "sacrifice unto the Lord . . . of a broken heart and a
contrite spirit," (D&C 59:8), a prerequisite to taking up the cross,
while giving "away all [our] sins" in order to know God (
But this is only the
beginning of honoring the intent of the law of sacrifice. President Spencer W.
Kimball taught :
" . . .we must lay on
the altar and sacrifice whatever is required by the Lord. We begin by offering
a "broken heart and a contrite spirit." We follow this by giving our
best effort in our assigned fields of labor and callings. We learn our duty and
execute it fully. Finally we consecrate our time, talents and means as called
upon by our file leaders and as prompted by the whisperings of the Spirit. In
the Church, as in the Welfare system also, we can give expression to every ability,
every righteous desire, every thoughtful impulse. Whether a volunteer, father,
home teacher, bishop, or neighbor, whether a visiting teacher, mother,
homemaker, or friend--there is ample opportunity to give our all."(8)
In conclusion, the law of
worship and the law of sacrifice are interrelated laws that are designed to put
God at the center of our lives. Those who enter into these laws by covenant,
place all they have on the altar. Their minds, energy, heart, and course of
life will be devoted to God's work and glory which is to bring to pass
"the immortality and eternal life of man." In other words, they will
"love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength"
(D&C 20:31). In so doing, they will lose their life in the service of
others. By losing their life in the building of the
"If in this day the
Church rises to the call of the First Presidency, and if Church members
sacrifice of their means, their time, their talents for the upbuilding of the
kingdom of God, not withholding their own lives, if that were necessary, then
there will come to this people, and to that individual who thus is willing to
consecrate himself, the greatest joy that can come to the human soul."(9)
References
1. President Harold B. Lee
taught, "We have in sacred places what we call the law of sacrifice"
(The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, Ed. Clyde J. Williams, [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1996] p.318). Likewise, President Ezra Taft Benson stated, "In
the course of our visits to the temple, we are given insights into the meaning
of the eternal journey of man. We see beautiful and impressive symbolisms of
the most important events -- past, present, and future -- symbolizing man's
mission in relationship to God. We are reminded of our obligations as we make
solemn covenants pertaining to obedience, consecration, sacrifice, and
dedicated service to our Heavenly Father" (Ezra Taft Benson, Teachings
of Ezra Taft Benson, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988] p. 251).
2. Dallin H. Oaks, Pure in
Heart,
3. Bruce R. McConkie, The
Mortal Messiah. The Messiah Series, vols. 2-5.
4. Conference Report, Apr.
1975, p. 74; or Ensign, May 1975, p. 50.
5. Elder McConkie taught,
"The law of
consecration is that we consecrate our time, our talents, and our money and
property to the cause of the Church: such are to be available to the extent
they are needed to further the Lord's interests on earth.
"The law of sacrifice
is that we are willing to sacrifice all that we have for the truth's sake--our
character and reputation; our honor and applause; our good name among men; our
houses, lands, and families: all things, even our very lives if need be"
(Conference Report, Apr. 1975, p. 74; or Ensign, May 1975, p. 50).
6. Lectures on Faith, 6:5.
7. Conference Report, Apr.
1995, p. 91; or Ensign, May 1995, p. 68.
8. Conference Report, Apr.
1978, pp.12324; or Ensign, May 1978, p.81.
9. The Teachings of
Harold B. Lee, Ed. Clyde J. Williams, [
Obedience,
Consecration, and Sacrifice
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
Of the Council of the Twelve
Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 74; or Ensign, May 1975, 50
I have sought and do now
seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that I may speak plainly and
persuasively about two of the crowning doctrines of the gospel.
We are the Lord's people,
his saints, those to whom he has given much and from whom he expects much in
return. We know the terms and conditions of the plan of salvation--how Christ
died for our sins and what we must do to reap the full blessings of his atoning
sacrifice.
We have covenanted in the
waters of baptism to love and serve him, to keep his commandments, and to put
first in our lives the things of his kingdom. In return he has promised us
eternal life in his Father's kingdom. We are thus in a position to receive and
obey some of the higher laws which prepare us for that eternal life which we so
sincerely seek.
Principles of sacrifice
and consecration
Accordingly, I shall now set
forth some of the principles of sacrifice and consecration to which the true
saints must conform if they are ever to go where God and Christ are and have an
inheritance with the faithful saints of ages past.
It is written: "He who
is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial
glory." (D&C 88:22.) The law of sacrifice is a celestial law; so also
is the law of consecration. Thus to gain that celestial reward which we so devoutly
desire, we must be able to live these two laws.
Sacrifice and consecration
are inseparably intertwined. The law of consecration is that we consecrate our
time, our talents, and our money and property to the cause of the Church: such
are to be available to the extent they are needed to further the Lord's
interests on earth.
The law of "sacrifice
is that we are willing to sacrifice all that we have for the truth's sake--our
character and reputation; our honor and applause; our good name among men; our
houses, lands, and families: all things, even our very lives if need be.
Joseph Smith said, "A
religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power
sufficient to produce the faith necessary [to lead] unto life and
salvation." (Lectures on Faith, p. 58.)
We are not always called
upon to live the whole law of consecration and give all of our time, talents,
and means to the building up of the Lord's earthly kingdom. Few of us are
called upon to [CR, 75] sacrifice much of what we possess, and at the moment
there is only an occasional martyr in the cause of revealed religion.
But what the scriptural
account means is that to gain celestial salvation we must be able to live these
laws to the full if we are called upon to do so. Implicit in this is the reality
that we must in fact live them to the extent we are called upon so to do.
How, for instance, can we
establish our ability to live the full law of consecration if we do not in fact
pay an honest tithing? Or how can we prove our willingness to sacrifice all
things, if need be, if we do not make the small sacrifices of time and toil, or
of money and means, that we are now asked to make?
As a young man, serving at
the direction of my bishop, I called upon a rich man and invited him to
contribute a thousand dollars to a building fund. He declined. But he did say
he wanted to help, and if we would have a ward dinner and charge $5 per plate,
he would take two tickets. About ten days later this man died unexpectedly of a
heart attack, and I have wondered ever since about the fate of his eternal
soul.
Beware of covetousness
Wasn't there someone once
who said, "Beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the
abundance of the things which he possesseth." Didn't this same person then
speak this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth
plentifully:
"And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no
room where to bestow my fruits?
"And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my
barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
"And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much
goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
"But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy
soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou
hast provided?"
And then did He not conclude
the matter by saying, "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and
is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:1521.)
When the prophet Gad
commanded David to build an altar and offer sacrifice on property owned by a
certain man, that man offered to provide the land, the oxen, and all things for
the sacrifice, without cost. But David said, "Nay; but I will surely buy
it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my
God of that which doth cost me nothing." (2 Sam. 24:24 [2 Samuel 24:24] .)
When it costs us but little
to give, [Ensign, 51] the treasure laid up in heaven is a small one. The
widow's mite, given in sacrifice, weighs more heavily in the eternal scales
than the bulging granaries of the rich man.
Parable of rich young man
There came to Jesus, on a
certain occasion, a rich young man who asked: "What good thing shall I do,
that I may have eternal life?"
Our Lord's answer was the
obvious one, the one given by all the prophets of all the ages. It was:
"If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."
The next question was:
"Which commandments?"
Jesus listed them:
"Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not
steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother:
and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Then came this response and
query--for the young man was a good man, a faithful man, one who sought
righteousness: "All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I
yet?"
We might well ask,
"Isn't it enough to keep the commandments? What more is expected of us
than to be true [CR, 76] and faithful to every trust? Is there more than the
law of obedience?"
In the case of our rich
young friend there was more. He was expected to live the law of consecration,
to sacrifice his earthly possessions, for the answer of Jesus was: "If
thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou
shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."
As you know, the young man
went away sorrowful, "for he had great possessions." (Matt. 19:1622
[Matthew 19:1622] .) And we are left to wonder what intimacies he might have
shared with the Son of God, what fellowship he might have enjoyed with the
apostles, what revelations and visions he might have received, if he had been
able to live the law of a celestial kingdom. As it is he remains nameless; as
it might have been, his name could have been had in honorable remembrance among
the saints forever.
Much is expected
Now I think it is perfectly
clear that the Lord expects far more of us than we sometimes render in
response. We are not as other men. We are the saints of God and have the
revelations of heaven. Where much is given much is expected. We are to put
first in our lives the things of his kingdom.
We are commanded to live in
harmony with the Lord's laws, to keep all his commandments, to sacrifice all
things if need be for his name's sake, to conform to the terms and conditions
of the law of consecration.
We have made covenants so to
do--solemn, sacred, holy covenants, pledging ourselves before gods and angels.
We are under covenant to
live the law of obedience.
We are under covenant to
live the law of sacrifice.
We are under covenant to
live the law of consecration.
With this in mind, hear this
word from the Lord: "If you will that I give unto you a place in the
celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded
you and required of you." (D&C 78:7.)
A privilege to sacrifice
It is our privilege to
consecrate our time, talents, and means to build up his kingdom. We are called
upon to sacrifice, in one degree or another, for the furtherance of his work.
Obedience is essential to salvation; so, also, is service; and so, also, are
consecration and sacrifice.
It is our privilege to raise
the warning voice to our neighbors and to go on missions and offer the truths
of salvation to our Father's other children everywhere. We can respond to calls
to serve as bishops, as Relief Society presidents, as home teachers, and in any
of hundreds of positions of responsibility in our various church organizations.
We can labor on welfare projects, engage in genealogical research, perform
vicarious ordinances in the temples.
We can pay an honest tithing
and contribute to our fast offering, welfare, budget, building, and missionary
funds. We can bequeath portions of our assets and devise portions of our
properties to the Church when we pass on to other spheres.
We can consecrate a portion
of our time to systematic study, to becoming gospel scholars, to treasuring up
the revealed truths which guide us in paths of truth and righteousness.
Evidences of true church
And the fact that faithful
members of the Church do all these things is one of the great evidences of the
divinity of the work. Where else do the generality of the members of any church
pay a full tithing? Where is there a people whose congregations have one and
two and three percent of their number out in volunteer, self-supporting
missionary work at all times? Where does any people as a whole build temples or
[CR, 77] operate welfare projects as we do? And where is there so much unpaid
teaching and church administration?
In the true church we
neither preach for hire nor divine for money. We follow the pattern of Paul and
make the gospel of Christ without charge, lest we abuse or misuse the power the
Lord has given us. Freely we have received and freely we give, for salvation is
free. All who thirst are invited to come and drink of the waters of life, to
buy corn and wine without money and without price.
All our service in God's
kingdom is predicated on his eternal law which states: "The laborer in
We know full well that the
laborer is worthy of his hire, and that those who devote all their time to the
building up of the kingdom must be provided with food, clothing, shelter, and
the necessaries of life. We must employ teachers in our schools, architects to
design our temples, contractors to build our synagogues, and managers to run
our businesses. But those so employed, along with the whole membership of the
Church, participate also on a freewill and voluntary basis in otherwise
furthering the Lord's work. Bank presidents work on welfare projects.
Architects leave their drafting boards to go on missions. Contractors lay down
their tools to serve as home teachers or bishops. Lawyers put aside Corpus
Juris and the Civil Code to act as guides on
Lord's work must go
forward
But the work of the kingdom
must go forward, and the members of the Church are and shall be called upon to
bear off its burdens. It is the Lord's work and not man's. He is the one who
commands us to preach the gospel in all the world, whatever the cost. It is his
voice that decrees the building of temples, whatever the cost. He is the one
who tells us to care for the poor among us, whatever the cost, lest their cries
come up to his throne as a testimony against those who should have fed the
hungry and clothed the naked but who did not.
And may I say also--both by
way of doctrine and of testimony--that it is his voice which invites us to
consecrate of our time, our talents, and our means to carry on his work. It is
his voice that calls for service and sacrifice. This is his work. He is at the
helm guiding and directing the destiny of his kingdom.
And every member of his
church has this promise: That if he remains true and faithful--obeying,
serving, consecrating, sacrificing, as required by the gospel--he shall be
repaid in eternity a thousandfold and shall have eternal life. What more can we
ask?
In the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Amen.
The
Plan of Salvation and D&C 88
Joseph
Smith
All men know that they must
die. And it is important that we should understand the reasons and causes
of our exposure to the vicissitudes of life and of death, and the designs and
purposes of God in our coming into the world, our suffering here, and our
departure hence. What is the object of our coming into existence, then
dying and falling away, to be here no more? It is but reasonable to
suppose that God would reveal something in reference to the matter, and it is a subject we ought to study more than
any other. We
ought to study it day and night, for the world is ignorant in
reference to their true condition and relation.
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.324; emphasis added)
"So much more than
a matter of abstract theology, this great plan can focus daily life. Its truths
are crucial to how we see ourselves, others, life, the Lord, and even the
universe. Or how we view a baby. Or death. Or the praise and honors of the
world. This plan constitutes the mother lode of meaning and can cradle us,
conceptually, amid any concern."
Neal A. Maxwell
"The Great Plan of the Eternal God" (Ensign May 1984, p. 22)
(Doctrine
and Covenants 88:36-39.)
36 All kingdoms have a law
given;
37 And there are many
kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is
no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom.
38 And unto every kingdom
is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and
conditions.
39 All beings who abide
not in those conditions are not justified.
In an 1832 revelation, Joseph Smith
learned that law is a pervasive manifestation of God's light and power:
"The light which is in all things…is the law by which all things are
governed" (D&C 88:12-13). In connection with both spiritual law and
natural law, no space or relationship occurs in which law is nonexistent.
"There are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no
kingdom; …and unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are
certain bounds also and conditions “D&C
88:37-38).
There are as many laws as there are
kingdoms, which reflect greater or lesser light and truth. Some laws are
higher, and some are lower. The
Lower laws are subsumed in higher
laws. If people keep the laws of God, they have “no need to break the laws of
the land” (D&C 58:21). Similarly, when the Law of Moses was fulfilled by
Jesus Christ, it was subsumed in him.
Existence is a process of
progressively learning to obey higher law. Obeying and conforming to law are
understood as a sign of growth, maturity, and understanding, and greater
obedience to law produces greater freedom (D&C 98:5) and associated
blessings (D&C 130:20-21).
At all levels, the principles of
agency and accountability are in effect: People may choose which laws to obey
or to ignore, but God will hold them accountable and reward them accordingly
(D&C 82:4). This is not viewed as a threat; law’s purpose is not to force
or punish but to guide and provide structure.
In the divine or spiritual sphere,
law is not the product of a philosophical or theoretical search for what is
right or good. It emanates from deity and is revealed through Jesus Christ and
his prophets.
Spiritual laws given by God to
mankind are commonly called commandments, which consist variously of
prohibitions (“thou shalt not”), requirements (“thou shalt”), and prescriptions
(“if a man”). The commandments are uniformly coupled with promised blessings
for faithful compliance. Thus, Latter-day Saints describe themselves as
covenant people who may be rewarded now, and in the hereafter, for their
faithfulness. Many such covenants are bilateral in character; that is, members
make personal commitments in a variety of formal ordinances to keep in accord
with certain commandments.
Spiritual laws, or God’s
commandments, are generally understood to have been purposefully decreed by a
loving Heavenly Father, who desires to bring to pass the exaltation of his
spirit children. Thus, “there is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before
the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated”
(D&C 130:20). Latter-day Saints believe that God knows or stipulates all
types of acts and forbearances required by all individuals in order for them to
attain that blessed eternal state of exaltation and that he has revealed these
requirements to humankind through his servants. No law given of God is temporal
(D&C 29:34).
“Irrevocability” in the foregoing
quotation connotes permanence and unchangeability. Since God cannot lie, the
commandments and promises contained in his covenants with people will not be
revoked, though he can revoke a specific commandment to individuals when they
have disobeyed (D&C 56:3-6). The fundamentals are not situational and do
not ebb and flow with changing concepts of morality or theology outside the
Church. The President of the Church is a prophet of God who receives
revelations and inspiration to interpret and apply those basic principles as
human circumstances change.
In accordance with the principle of
agency, God commands, but he does not compel. No earthly mechanism exists for the
enforcement of God’s laws. The prophet teaches the members correct principles,
and they are expected to govern themselves. Missionary work and education of
Church members are carried out so that people may make informed choices. They
are taught that making an informed choice results either in a blessing (current
or deferred) or an undesirable consequence (current or deferred). Ignorance of
the law is considered a legitimate excuse. Because of the Atonement of Jesus
Christ, repentance is not required of those “who have ignorantly sinned” or “who
have died not knowing the will of God concerning them” (Mosiah 3:11), even
though failure to abide by the commandment may result in the loss of blessings
that would flow from proper conduct. In most cases, violators of divine law can
escape the punishment connected with the offense by repentance; the demands of
justice having been satisfied by the Atonement of Christ in the interest of all
(see Justice and Mercy).
(Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4
vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan, 1992), 807.)
Earth Life
and the Spirit World = the 2nd Estate
Spirit World
Death does not suddenly bestow upon the
disbeliever full awareness of all reality, thereby obviating the need for any
faith. Instead, what follows death is a
continuum of the basic structure in mortality-until the Judgment Day, when
every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ (see
Rom. 14:11; Philip. 2:10; D&C 76:110). Until then, we “walk by faith, not
by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). How will God ensure this condition in the spirit world?
We do not know. Yet He has certainly so handled the second estate in relation
to the first estate, hasn’t He? The memories of the first estate are not
accessible in the second estate. The spirit world will be so arranged that
there will be no legitimate complaints later over the justice and mercy of God
(see Mosiah 27:31;
(Cory H. Maxwell, ed., The Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book [Salt
Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997], 323.)
In the
Millennium there will be mortals as well as resurrected celestial beings living
together with Christ.
Outer Darkness will be a
place for those who refuse to obey or accept God. Since they refuse to obey law there kingdom
will be a place of chaos, no order, no law, and no glory. The analogy of multiplying by 0 = 0
Joseph F. Smith, January 20, 1895
THE SECOND DEATH
DISCOURSE
Delivered by President Joseph F.
Smith,
at the
January 20, 1895.
No son of perdition, I take it, can
be more completely lost than was Adam after the fall, so far as he himself was
concerned. Somebody else had to reach down and help him up. Some other and
higher power than his had to bring him forth out of the condition in which he
had placed himself; for he was subject unto Satan and powerless and helpless in
and of himself. The Gospel was, therefore, preached to him, and a way of escape
from that spiritual death given unto him. That way of escape was through faith
in God, repentance of sin, baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the
Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Thereby he received a knowledge of the
truth and a testimony of Jesus Christ, and was redeemed from the spiritual
death that came upon him, which was the first death, and a complete and perfect
death, so far as spirit was concerned, although he lived and moved and had his
being, as he did before he partook of the forbidden fruit and became
spiritually dead; he had his entity and his organization; but he was
spiritually dead, and he had to be redeemed from that condition.
Now, why I put so much stress upon
this point is that I may impress upon you the word of God as declared to us;
for He says:
Wherefore, I the Lord God caused that he should be cast out
from the Garden of Eden, from my presence, because of his transgression,
wherein he became spiritually dead, which is the first death, even that same
death which is the last death, which is spiritual, which shall be pronounced
upon the wicked when I say—Depart, ye cursed.
Thus we see that the first death
which came into the world is also the last death which shall be pronounced upon
the sons of perdition. What is it? Banishment from the presence of God.
Banishment from the power of God. Banishment from the glory of God. Banishment
from the joys of heaven. Banishment from all progress. Banishment into outer
darkness. Banishment into hell, which is as a lake of fire and brimstone, where
their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, because the soul lives and
is bound to live on, suffering the damnation of hell. This is what I understand
spiritual death is. I do not understand it to be the separation of the body and
the spirit again. I do not understand it to be the dissolution of the spirit into
its native element. I understand the second death to be the same as the first
death—spiritual death; the same condition that Adam was in and that he had to
be redeemed from by the blood of Christ, and by faith and obedience to the
commands of God. By this means Adam was redeemed from the first death, and
brought back again into the presence of God, back again into the favor of the
Almighty, back again into the channel of eternal increase and progress. And if
a man, after being placed in this condition, shall deny the Holy Ghost and
Jesus Christ, putting Him again to open shame and crucifying Him afresh, then
that first death which fell upon our first parents will again be pronounced
upon that man, and it is not written that he shall ever be delivered from it.
It is not written that there is any forgiveness for it, nor any redemption
there from.
(Brian H. Stuy, ed., Collected
Discourses, 5 vols. [
(Doctrine and Covenants
77:6-7, 12-13)
6 Q. What are we to
understand by the book which John saw, which was sealed on the back with seven
seals?
A. We are to understand
that it contains the revealed will, mysteries, and the works of God; the hidden
things of his economy concerning this earth during the seven thousand years of
its continuance, or its temporal existence.
7 Q. What are we to
understand by the seven seals with which it was sealed?
A. We are to understand
that the first seal contains the things of the first thousand years, and the
second also of the second thousand years, and so on until the seventh.
12 Q. What are we to
understand by the sounding of the trumpets, mentioned in the 8th chapter of
Revelation?
A. We are to understand
that as God made the world in six days, and on the seventh day he finished his
work, and sanctified it, and also formed man out of the dust of the earth, even
so, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years will the Lord God sanctify
the earth, and complete the salvation of man, and judge all things, and shall
redeem all things, except that which he hath not put into his power, when he
shall have sealed all things, unto the end of all things; and the sounding of
the trumpets of the seven angels are the preparing and finishing of his work,
in the beginning of the seventh thousand years—the preparing of the way before
the time of his coming.
13 Q. When are the things
to be accomplished, which are written in the 9th chapter of Revelation?
A. They are to be
accomplished after the opening of the seventh seal, before the coming of
Christ.
- The book is sealed with 7
seals, meaning the earth’s temporal existence is 7000 years.
- Beginning of the 7th
seal there will be wars and natural disasters, also 1/3 of water will be
dried up and 1/3 of earth will be destroyed.
Again, more through what we learn
from section 77 than through actual textual changes, the Prophet greatly adds
to our understanding of what John saw as the various seals were opened. Nothing
is said about the first five seals, either through section 77 or through JST
changes. But when we get to the opening of the sixth and seventh seals—those of
our own time, as it were—we are helped immensely and learn the following:
1. The "angel from the
east" is” Elias (D&C 77:9). This at first may not seem helpful, but we
know that the concept of Elias is as a forerunner and that here it refers to
the restoration of the gospel in the last days. fn Applying that interpretation
to John's vision makes perfect sense. Before the angels of destruction are
loosed, the servants of God will be sealed and thus saved from destruction,
through the restoration of the gospel, with its priesthood and ordinances.
Commenting on these very verses, the Prophet later explained that the sealing
"signifies sealing the blessing upon their heads, meaning the everlasting
covenant, thereby making their calling and election sure. When a seal is put
upon the father and mother, it secures their posterity, so that they cannot be
lost, but will be saved by virtue of the covenant of their father and
mother." fn”
2. The Prophet clearly indicates that
the twelve thousand sealed from each of the twelve tribes is not just a
symbolic representation of the forces of righteousness, as some scholars
maintain. They are a great missionary force of the sixth seal (see D&C
77:10). Joseph Smith shows us that they are ordained high priests chosen from
among every nation to carry forth the gospel and bring as many as will come to
the true Church (see D&C 77:11). (In another revelation the Prophet indicated
that these 144,000 would also stand on
The Prophet also said, shortly before
his death, "I attended prayer-meeting with the quorum in the assembly
room, and made some remarks respecting the hundred and forty-four thousand
mentioned by John the Revelator, showing that the selection of persons to form
that number had already commenced.” This statement would seem to indicate that
this great body of missionaries may be composed of mortals and immortals
together.
3. Though the Prophet did not give us
specific help in interpreting the various images mentioned under the sounding
of the seven trumpets that begin in chapter 8, two things he revealed are of
great help as we study this section of Revelation. First, he revealed that the trumpets represent the judgments of God
which will prepare the world and cleanse it for the millennial reign of Christ
(see D&C 77:12). Second, he clearly specifies that these trumpets (or
judgments) happen in the seventh seal (see D&C 77:12-13). Since the
evidence suggests we have not yet entered that last period of a thousand years,
this prophecy is yet future to us. In fact, once the judgments happen it may be
that the imagery used by John in this section will become much more clear. It
also tells us that any attempt to tie these judgments with past historical
events is not justified.
4. In chapter 10, there is a brief
pause in the description of the judgments in which John is given a little book
to eat. This seems puzzling at first, but again the information revealed
through the Prophet Joseph Smith helps us with the interpretation. He explains
that the book is symbolic of the mission of John himself during these great
events, which mission is to help gather the tribes of
6. Finally, we learn from the
Prophet's revelations that the "two “witnesses" sent by John as
playing a pivotal role in the great battle of Armageddon were two prophets
raised up to the Jewish nation (not necessarily Jewish themselves, as some have
maintained) in the last days, who would work among the Jewish people in their homeland
(see D&C 77:15). Elder Bruce R. McConkie said that these two prophets would
be "followers of that humble man, Joseph Smith. . . . No doubt they will
be members of the Council of the Twelve or of the First Presidency of the
Church." fn”
(Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate,
Jr., eds., Joseph Smith Translation: The Restoration of Plain and Precious
Things [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1985], 263.)
The Olive Leaf
(D&C 88)
ROBERT J. MATTHEWS
Background to the Revelation
As noted in the heading of the 1981
edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, the content of section 88 was received
in portions on at least three different dares. Verses 1-126 were received on 27
and 28 December 1832 (how much on the first day is not known), and vv. 127-37
were received on 3 January 1833. fn The date for vv. 138-41 is not known.
Those present on at least the first
two dates were Joseph Smith, Sr., Sidney Rigdon, Orson Hyde, Joseph Smith, Jr.,
Hyrum Smith, Samuel H. Smith, Newel K. Whitney, Frederick G. Williams, Ezra
Thayer, and John Murdock. Brother Williams served as scribe.
This revelation (or collection of
revelations) came only two days after the vivid communication now identified as
D&C 87, which deals with the wars and destructions about to come upon the earth
and which will eventually lead to a "full end of all nations"
(D&C 87:6; see also 130:12-17). After the stern warnings and declarations
found in the revelation on war, it is interesting that the Prophet identified
this revelation as "the olive leaf . . . plucked from the Tree of
Paradise, the Lord's message of Peace to us." This document, which has a
strong doctrinal content, contains some of the most marvelous instructions we
have on record and is calculated not only to inform but also to inspire every
person who carefully examines it. To study it is a mind-stretching experience.
The language is simple and direct, but the meaning has such depth that a mortal
cannot grasp its entirety.
Every reader will notice at the
outset that the subject matter of section 88 changes frequently. This increases
the difficulty of discussion in a written article, but we are greatly assisted
by the voluminous footnotes and cross-references placed in the new edition of
the Doctrine and Covenants published in 1981. By following these study aids, we
can facilitate our understanding and will need a minimum of other written
materials. Moreover, as one's familiarity and understanding increases, he will
sense that the revelation flows naturally from one doctrinal concept to another
and that the various subjects are vitally related to each other. This
revelation, in its many topics, holds out promises and encouragement by giving
a glimpse of what the purposes of God are and what our own future can be.
We will, in the pages that follow,
present some of the more significant features of section 88 and endeavor to
show relationships to the larger doctrinal and historical setting of the Church
in this dispensation. Since not every verse can be dealt with in detail,
attention will be given to concepts that seem necessary to enable us to grasp,
at least to some degree, the depth and sublimity of the revelation. The format
is a commentary, intended to be read in connection with the scriptural text.
Let it be remembered, moreover, that these are the personal opinions of the
writer and not necessarily the official position of the Church.
Significant Doctrinal Contributions
Lord of Sabaoth (v. 2). The term "Lord of Sabaoth"
is also found in the New Testament (Rom. 9:29 and James 5:4) and is usually
identified as "Lord of Hosts," that is, "Lord of Armies" or
as "Ruler over all." The term "Lord of Hosts" (Yahweh
Saba'oth) is very common in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word saba'oth
means "hosts," or "armies." The word "Sabaoth"
does not appear in the Book of Mormon or the Pearl of Great Price, although
"Lord of Hosts" appears in a number of places in both of these works.
The title "Lord of Sabaoth" occurs in D&C 87:7; 88:2; 95:7; and
98:2 and has a more extensive meaning than those unfamiliar with the Doctrine
and Covenants give to it, with a unique declaration that the Lord of Sabaoth
"is by interpretation, the creator of the first day, the beginning and the
end" (D&C 95:7). Such a definition far exceeds the concept of just
being Lord of many, because it places a time factor of being Lord at the
beginning and even being the cause of or initiator of the "first
day." This special primacy of Jesus is consistent with other concepts in
section 88 that speak of Christ as the creator and the sustainer of the
universe in an ultimate and infinite manner. This enlarged definition of
Sabaoth enhances its use in 88:2 and is more descriptive than could be obtained
from any source outside of the Doctrine and Covenants.
The Comforter or Promise of Eternal
Life (vv. 3-4). The
Comforter here spoken of is identified as the Holy Spirit of Promise and is
thus the Holy Ghost. He is the "first Comforter." The second
Comforter, as explained by the Prophet Joseph Smith, is the Lord Jesus Christ
and has reference to a personal visit. fn The wording "another
Comforter" has led some to wonder if this passage in 88:3-4 has reference
to the Second Comforter, and not to the Holy Ghost. However, the personage
spoken of is clearly the Holy Spirit of Promise, and "the Holy Spirit of
Promise is not the Second Comforter." fn
Friends (v. 3). The close relationship of the Lord to
his faithful servants is shown in his greeting them as friends. A servant
carries out orders as he is commanded. A "friend" is one with whom
the Lord confides his purposes and plans. This subject is touched upon again in
D&C 93:45-46 and is more fully explained in John 15:13-15: "Henceforth
I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I
have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have
made known unto you." The knowledge about to be entrusted to the Saints in
this revelation is characteristic of that which would be shared by the Master
with his faithful friends.
Church of the Firstborn (v. 5). This term occurs in the New Testament
(Heb. 12:23) and also in several places in the Doctrine and Covenants (76:54,
67, 71, 94; 77:11; 78:21; 93:22; 107:19). It has reference to those who inherit
the fulness of salvation and exaltation. They belong not only to the Church of
Jesus Christ (who himself is the Firstborn), but they constitute a church, the
membership of which consists only of those who are exalted and thus have the
inheritance of the firstborn. They are joint heirs with Jesus in all that the
Father has and are thus the Church consisting of the firstborn. This is what
the gospel does for those who obey it fully; it causes them to be born again
and gives them an adoption in the eternal patriarchal family so that they have
an inheritance as the firstborn even though they are younger in actual
chronology (see also ">L>). It has reference to those who
inherit the fulness of salvation and exaltation. They belong not only to the
Church of Jesus Christ (who himself is the Firstborn), but they constitute a
church, the membership of which consists only of those who are exalted and thus
have the inheritance of the firstborn. They are joint heirs with Jesus in all
that the Father has and are thus the Church consisting of the firstborn. This
is what the gospel does for those who obey it fully; it causes them to be born
again and gives them an adoption in the eternal patriarchal family so that they
have an inheritance as the firstborn even though they are younger in actual
chronology (see also Gal. 3:26-27).
The Light of Christ (vv. 6-13). In some manner that we do not fully
understand, these verses state that the light of Christ is in the sun, moon,
stars, and in the earth also, and this light gives life to all things and is
the law by which all things are governed. This light shines and is also called
the "light of truth" (v. 6) and "is the same light that
quickeneth your understandings" (v. 11).
Elder Orson Pratt commented on these
verses as follows:
Who is there in this congregation, or
upon the face of the earth, that can tell how that light operates in quickening
the understandings of men? . . . Do you know how that is done? I do not; yet
this is what God has revealed. He is the light that is in all things. Do you or
I comprehend how that light is connected with all things? No. These are lessons
which we have got to learn in the future, when we ascend in that scale of
knowledge and intelligence now possessed by celestial beings. . . . We are told
in this revelation that the light that quickens the understandings of the
children of men and that lighteth all things is one and the same and that it is
also the life of all things. What are we to understand by this? Have we life?
Yes, we certainly have. Where did we obtain this life? When was it created or
made? There is a revelation upon this subject which says that intelligence, or
the light of truth, was not created, neither indeed can be [93:29]. Is it then
eternal? Yes. Then this light that shines is eternal in its nature is it? Yes,
because it is the same light that gives light to all things. fn
The Redemption of the Soul (vv.
14-17). The
technical definition is that a "soul" consists of a spirit and a
physical body. This is helpful in clarifying other passages of scripture
dealing with the creation, such as Moses 3:7-9 and Abr. 5:7. The scriptures are
not always consistent with the use of the word "soul," and sometimes
it is used to mean only the spirit (
Purpose and Destiny of the Earth (vv.
17-20, 25-27). The
revelations of God frequently talk about the earth on which we live. In Abr.
3:24-25 we are told that one purpose for the earth is to provide a place where
man may dwell and be proved—a probationary place. Section 88 deals with yet
another factor—the eternal destiny of the earth is to be a celestial world,
"sanctified from all unrighteousness," even worthy of the presence of
God the Father (v. 18). Those who live on this earth who are meek and are
redeemed and sanctified shall live on and possess this earth forever and ever
in a resurrected state—resurrected bodies on a resurrected earth. For this
intent the earth was made, and will die, and will be quickened.
The Earth Filleth the Measure of Its
Creation (vv. 19, 25).
This phrase appears twice in the revelation (vv. 19, 25). A similar phrase is
used in D&C 49:16-17 with the explanation that to answer the purpose of its
creation the earth must be filled with man (cf. also 1 Ne. 17:36). These
references (combined with Abr. 3:24-25) give the clear scriptural statement
that there is divine purpose both to man and to the earth: (1) in their
creation, (2) in their present continuance, and (3) in their eternal destiny.
The revelation also reads as though
the earth were intelligent. For example: "Verily I say unto you, the earth
abideth the law of a celestial kingdom . . . and transgresseth not the
law" (v. 25). Furthermore, in Moses 7:48-49 the earth is represented as
speaking and experiencing pain because of the wickedness of mankind upon its
surface. Many regard these as figurative expressions, but there may be
something more literal involved. This factor will be considered further in
connection with vv. 34-46.
Resurrection and Glory According to
the Law which Is Obeyed (vv. 21-24, 28-33). These verses explain that every soul will be
resurrected, some to glory and some to no glory, depending upon the law each
person chose to obey. The law of Christ—the gospel—leads to a fulness of
celestial glory. Any deviation leads to less. In these passages,
"quickened" has reference to resurrection, and this quickening comes
to all. Verses 24, 32, and 33 clearly indicate that the class of persons known
as sons of perdition shall be "quickened," that is, they will be
resurrected in their physical body but not to a place of glory, for they failed
to receive the only gift (the atonement of Christ) that could have redeemed
them. This is a clarification of D&C 76:38-39, which some have
misinterpreted to mean that the sons of perdition would not receive the
resurrection of the body. fn
All Kingdoms Are Governed by Law (vv.
34-45). A key
sentence in this passage states that God "hath given a law unto all
things, by which they move in their times and seasons; and their courses are
fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the earth . . . and all the
planets" (vv. 42-43). At least two basic concepts are emphasized here: (1)
God is the Author and the Giver of the law, not just a user of it, and (2)
there is obedience in the universe. These are both fundamental to the existence
of the Lord's kingdoms. Only a limited discussion of these matters is presented
here. fn
As to the "obedience" of
the planets and especially of the earth, the question arises whether it is
forced obedience or if there is agency and intelligence in nature (other than
in man). Elder Orson Pratt felt there was intelligent choice:
There does not seem to be any agency
on the part of these materials [inanimate things], so far as we naturally
comprehend it; at least, if there is an agency, it seems to be very obedient
instead of disobedient . . . at least we do not know of any disobedience. . . .
There are some sayings in this same revelation which seem to indicate that
there is a degree of intelligence even in these materials [referring to the
earth as in v. 25]. . . . Some . . . might say that the earth is obliged to
follow this course. I do not know about this. I am not so sure. I think if we
could see a little further, we would understand that, connected with the
materials of the earth is a living principle . . . that acts according to
certain laws, intelligently, not blindly; and that our earth, in performing its
course . . . does so according to law, as much as we do when we go forth and
are buried in the waters of baptism. fn
Man Shall Eventually Comprehend Even
God (vv. 47-50, 66-69). There are some wonderfully descriptive concepts about God in these
verses, such as majesty, power, light, truth, Spirit, wilderness, and the
unveiling of his face to man. Concerning our relationship to God, we are told
in these verses that as we witness the pattern and order of the cosmos we have
already seen him moving in his majesty and power; that eventually righteous men
shall comprehend God by "being quickened in him and by him" (v. 49);
and that God sustains man by his (God's) light. It is also stated that God's
voice is Spirit and that mortal man hears it as a voice in the
wilderness—"in the wilderness, because we cannot see him" (v. 66).
The Lord continues the instruction by saying that if we have an eye single to
his glory, our whole bodies shall be filled with light, and by that means we
shall be able to see God and also be able to comprehend all things. These
verses are a continuation of the revelation on light given in vv. 6-13 already
discussed, and they also add to an earlier exposition about light given in
D&C 50:23-30. This is such an important subject that yet a further
revelation about light is to be found in D&C 93:26-32. The frequency of the
instruction about light suggests that it is important for us to know about it;
that the Lord wants us to know; and that it is a subject difficult for us to
understand in our mortal state.
These passages speak of man seeing
the face of God and even comprehending him (which means understanding him), and
of man himself knowing all things. Such accomplishments are not by intellectual
learning or by research alone, great as these are as aids to arriving at the
truth. A careful reading of the above passages shows clearly that man obtains
great spiritual heights and privileges only by having an eye single to the
glory of God, obeying the commandments, hearing the voice of the Spirit, and
being "quickened" by the Lord. This is not secular but spiritual. To
obtain these blessings, man must lift his thoughts from nature (the things that
are created) up to nature's Author (the Creator). This is the special role of
revealed religion and the purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as contrasted
with the pursuit of other kinds of truth. Secular learning is an aid, but is
separate and distinct from the kind of learning that leads mankind to a full knowledge
and acquaintance with God. A study of nature (the earth and all things in the
earth or connected with the earth) and the creations beyond the sphere of this
earth (that is, a study of the physical things that God has
created)—astronomy—is an honorable and necessary pursuit; but to realize his
potential, man must do more than that; he must also comprehend even God. The
things of God are such that they can be learned only by revelation; therefore,
a study of the revelations which make known the character of God and what he
requires of man are absolutely essential for salvation (see Mosiah 4:9; Job
11:7). Man will not comprehend God unless he becomes like him, and this is not
an easy accomplishment and cannot be obtained outside of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. As the Prophet Joseph Smith explained:
A fanciful and flowery and heated
imagination beware of; because the things of God are of deep import; and time,
and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find
them out. Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must
stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the
darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity—thou must commune with God.
How much more dignified and noble are the thoughts of God, than the vain
imaginations of the human heart! fn
And again from the Prophet:
Let us here observe, that after any
portion of the human family are made acquainted with the important fact that
there is a God, who has created and does uphold all things, the extent of their
knowledge respecting his character and glory will depend upon their diligence
and faithfulness in seeking after him, until, like Enoch, the brother of Jared,
and Moses, they shall obtain faith in God, and power with him to behold him
face to face. fn
And yet again from the Prophet:
We consider that God has created man
with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in
proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from
heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the
clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the
evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives
at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker
and is caught up to dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a station to
which no man ever arrived in a moment: he must have been instructed in the
government and laws of that kingdom by proper degrees, until his mind is
capable in some measure of comprehending the propriety, justice, equality, and
consistency of the same. fn
Perhaps two further points should be
discussed relative to v. 66. The Lord here states that his voice is Spirit and
that his Spirit is truth. The revelation says that man hears the voice of the
Lord by hearing the Spirit. This is similar to D&C 18:34-36, in which the
Lord says that those who have felt and heard his Spirit "can testify that
they have heard my voice, and know my words" (18:36). This is an
informative definition of what it means to hear the voice of the Lord.
The other point is occasioned by the
Lord stating that he is a voice in the wilderness—in the wilderness because we
cannot see him (v. 66). These words are followed two verses later by the
explanation that if one sanctifies himself so that his mind becomes single to
God, the day will come when he will see God. Note the contrast between mortal
man being in the wilderness at first, but growing in light until he sees God.
That is, when the Lord unveils his face to a friend, that person is in the
wilderness no longer. What beautiful imagery!
A Parable about the Inhabitants of
Other Worlds (vv. 51-65). After declaring the existence, harmony, and relationship of the various
bodies that constitute the heavenly machinery, including the sun, moon, stars
and planets, the Lord asked: "Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms that
ye may understand? Behold, all these are kingdoms" (vv. 46-47). In answer
to his own question the Lord gives a parable of a man sending his servants into
the field and visiting each of them in turn. He would withdraw from one to
visit another. Each servant saw his Lord's countenance and was made
glad—"every man in his hour, and in his time, and in his season. . . .
Every man in his own order" (vv. 51-60). "Therefore," said the
Lord, "unto this parable I will liken all these kingdoms [the worlds he
has created], and the inhabitants thereof every kingdom in its hour, and in its
time, and in its season, even according to the decree which God hath made"
(v. 61).
This parable is one of the plainest
assertions in the scriptures that there are inhabitants on other worlds, and
that Jesus Christ is their Savior and Lord, visiting each in its time (cf.
D&C 76:23-24). fn
The Solemn Assembly; a Great and Last
Promise (vv. 69-76).
The Lord instructed the Prophet to call a solemn assembly of the "first
laborers in this last kingdom." This was to be held in Kirtland and was to
include a spiritual manifestation to those who were worthy. Much needed to be
done in anticipation. They were to prepare their hearts and minds, rid
themselves of idle thoughts and of excess laughter. Those expecting to be
invited to attend were to organize themselves and sanctify their lives, purify
their hearts and cleanse their hands and feet, in order that they would be
"clean from the blood of this wicked generation" (vv. 69, 74, 75).
The instruction to hold a solemn
assembly comes immediately following the promise that the day will come when
the faithful will see the face of the Lord, and thus it is clear these two
circumstances are related. That the Lord would show himself to his servants and
give them the transcendent joy that accompanies a personal visit from their
Savior is called "the great and last promise" (vv. 69, 75), and the
Lord said he would fulfill it if his people would prepare themselves.
The words "great and last
promise" attract our attention, and we wish the revelation provided a
direct definition of how the word "last" is used in this instance.
Certainly the meaning is not that this was the final (or chronologically last)
promise he would make to his servants. The meaning therefore seems to be that
this was the ultimate promise—that is, that when they were ready, they would
see his face and stand in his presence. The feeling is also contained in the
passage that this was the last promise until they had accomplished the
preparation needed to obtain the promise the Lord had given them.
A few days after receiving section
88, the Prophet Joseph Smith sent a copy of the revelation to the Brethren in
[14 January 1833] You will see that
the Lord commanded us, in Kirtland, to build a house of God, and establish a
school for the Prophets, this is the word of the Lord to us, and we must, yea,
the Lord helping us, we will obey: as on condition of our obedience He has
promised us great things; yea, even a visit from the heavens to honor us with
His own presence. We greatly fear before the Lord lest we should fail of this
great honor, which our Master proposes to confer on us; we are seeking for
humility and great faith lest we be ashamed in His presence. fn
Subsequently the Prophet gave
repeated instruction to the brethren about the preparation they must make to be
ready for the assembly, which would not be held for some years in the future.
We note one such instance in the following:
[12 November 1835] We must have all
things prepared, and call our solemn assembly as the Lord has commanded us. . .
. The endowment you are so anxious about, you cannot comprehend now . . . but
strive to be prepared in your hearts . . . when we meet in the solemn assembly
we must be clean every whit. . . . If we are faithful . . . I will venture to
prophesy that we will get a blessing that will be worth remembering, if we
should live as long as John the Revelator; our blessings will be such as we
have not realized before, nor received in this generation. . . .
All who are prepared, and are
sufficiently pure to abide the presence of the Savior will see him in the
solemn assembly. fn
The assembly was not held until the
temple was completed. Finally on 30 March 1836, three days after the temple was
dedicated, the meeting was convened. It lasted more than a day and a night. The
Prophet referred to the spiritual experiences as "a day of
Pentecost," and said that "speaking in tongues was manifest, the
Savior made his appearance to some, and angels ministered to others." fn
The term "solemn assembly"
is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, one notable occurrence being
just after the dedication of the temple by King Solomon (2 Chron. 7:9). Other
occurrences had to do with special events and fast days in the history of
An Informed Ministry; Knowledge by
Study and by Faith (vv. 77-86, 117-18). In order that the servants of the Lord might effectively
carry the message of the restoration to the inhabitants of the earth, the Lord
specified that they should study and become acquainted with many branches of
knowledge in addition to the doctrines of the kingdom (vv. 77-80). They were to
"seek learning, by study and also by faith" (v. 118). What it means
to seek learning "by study" we already know something about, but how
to seek learning "by faith" requires even more experience and serious
contemplation. Whatever else is required in order for one to seek learning by
faith, at least two factors have to be recognized. First, the individual seeking
the learning must have an eye single to the glory of God—his motives cannot be
selfish. Second, he has to trust the revealed word of God as being true. If he
wants to gain spiritual knowledge for himself, he has to believe that what the
Lord has already revealed in the scriptures is correct, especially the
latter-day scriptures. He then proceeds to study, using the scriptures as the
standard by which to measure and interpret whatever knowledge he may gain in
the other branches of learning. This would seem to be true in all subject
matter areas but especially in the study of fields closely related to human
behavior and potential.
Although all truth is valuable, some
areas are more critical for preparing the elders for their ministry to the
nations of the earth and also for their own salvation and spiritual welfare.
President Brigham Young spoke of a "perfect celestial science" which
he defined as the study of all truth and useful information gained through
books, experience and revelation. He emphasized, however, the single importance
of theology:
Do the Elders of Israel understand
all that the Lord requires of them? They do not. . . . They can learn from
themselves—from the world—from the government of heaven—from the management,
government, control, doctrines, and laws of eternity, which will yet be
exhibited before us. The Lord has established the world with its varied
productions, for the education of his children. . . .
. . . There are a great many branches
of education: some go to college to learn languages, some to study law, some to
study physic, and some to study astronomy, and various other branches of
science. We want every branch of science taught in this place that is taught in
the world. But our favourite study is that branch which particularly belongs to
the Elders of Israel—namely, theology. Every Elder should become a profound
theologian—should understand this branch better than all the world. There is no
Elder who has the power of God upon him but understands more of the principles
of theology than all the world put together. fn
The type of individuals which the
Lord requires for his ministry are those persons whose garments are clean from
the blood of this generation. Those not yet clean were to wait for another time
to be called. Those who were called were to labor diligently to warn the people
of the judgments to come. The brethren were told in the revelation that not
everyone will accept the message, and that one aspect of their teaching was to
issue a warning voice so as to leave the world "without excuse"; in
this way "their sins are upon their own heads" (vv. 81-82). The
number of converts one makes is not the measure of success of the mission. The
Prophet Joseph Smith explained:
It is not the multitude of preachers
that is to bring about the glorious millennium! but it is those who are
"called, and chosen, and faithful." . . . Remember that your business
is to preach the Gospel in all humility and meekness, and warn sinners to
repent and come to Christ. . . . If you do your duty, it will be just as well
with you, as though all men embraced the Gospel. fn
Signs, Earthly Commotions, and Angels
Prepare the Way for the Second Coming (vv. 87-116). This large segment of section 88
bears a striking similarity to chapters 7-22 in the book of Revelation. It is a
prophecy of destruction and calamity but also a message of hope. It is, as with
all revealed scripture, an assurance that in the end righteousness will triumph
over evil; Christ over the devil; the Saints over their oppressors. Ultimate
victory will come through the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Prophet had been involved for
many months with making an initial draft of an inspired translation of the New
Testament, concluding with the book of Revelation in March 1832. In the process
of making the translation, many important things were revealed to him about the
gospel and in this case about future events to take place on the earth (see
D&C 45:60-62). The history of the earth, the ministry of seven angels who
play a prominent part in the final judgment scenes, and the opening of the
seven seals are significant aspects of the Revelation of John. These were
reiterated and partially explained in D&C 77 as a consequence of the
translation and were further enlarged upon in these verses from section 88. Thus
we regard this part of section 88 as a further clarification and explanation of
the Revelation of John. These are eschatological items—the winding-up events to
take place on the earth before it is prepared for the celestial glory. All
nations must hear the proclamation of the gospel and be informed of the means
of redemption. The earth must die and wickedness be cleansed from off its face.
There will be a resurrection of all mankind and a final judgment. Through faith
in Jesus the Saints will have gained the victory over sin and death and will be
crowned with eternal glory (vv. 106-7). The calamities and convulsive quaking
of the earth, the wars and the pestilences spoken of in these verses are the
"details" involved in the larger concept of the earth being prepared
for its eternal celestial destiny.
Before these final things occur,
however, the servants of God must prepare themselves for their mission to the
world. Therefore, the Lord again took up the subject of the temple and the
school, because without these, the missionaries could not be prepared for their
ministry. Without the servants of God bearing testimony, the honest in heart
would not be gathered and the unrepentant would not be warned and left without
excuse.
A House of Learning; a House of God
(vv. 117-37). In the
remaining verses of the revelation, the Lord outlined the procedure for the
School of the Prophets and the establishment of a house—a temple—for the School
and other sacred purposes. The house is referred to as a place of prayer,
fasting, faith, learning, glory, and order, which is therefore "a house of
God" (v. 119).
One of the most apparent factors of
this part of the revelation is that knowledge, wisdom, books, learning, faith,
prayer, glory, and fasting are all closely associated. Learning and wisdom are
not solely intellectual pursuits but are linked with faith, prayer and fasting.
"The School of the Prophets" thus presents the highest and the best
ideal in education. It is a symbol of inspired learning and shows that true
education cannot be separated from a spiritual and divine purpose.
In order for mortal men and women to
be able to learn essential truths, there has to be a certain mind-set and
spiritual preparation. This revelation states that intellectual attainment is
inseparably connected with both physical and spiritual characteristics. Thus
the instructions are given that those who were to participate in the School
were also to cease from lightmindedness, loud laughter, pride, lustful desires,
covetousness, idleness, uncleanness, fault finding, and excessive sleep (vv.
122-24). In addition, they were to practice diligence, study, faith, prayer,
love for one another, charity, and were to retire to bed early and arise early
(vv. 118,123,125, 126).
The School of the Prophets called for
a mix of hard intellectual effort and inspiration from the Holy Ghost, and
characterized a very particular kind of educational process. Learning was to be
assisted by the light of the gospel and the light of inspiration. The role the
Holy Ghost plays in enabling one to learn was explained dramatically by Elder
Orson Pratt:
What does [the Holy Ghost] do for the
education of men? Far more than our academies do. Our children have, by hard
study, year after year, to acquire their learning in these human institutions;
hard thinking is necessary, reasoning, gaining little by little, and it
frequently requires many years of close application to become what is termed a
learned man—a man that understands the sciences, that has worked his way
through the various departments of mathematics, and perhaps geology, and
mineralogy, and all the sciences, such as are usually taught in universities.
But the man filled with the Holy Ghost has the advantage of students who
graduate at our universities. Why? Because he can learn more in ten minutes, in
regard to many things, than another, not so favored, can in all his life.
Indeed, he can learn some things by the operations of the Holy Ghost, which no
natural man or woman could learn, however gifted they might be. You may inquire
where they could learn these things? I answer, by the revelations of the Holy
Ghost, which brings to light many things that are past, and shows things that
are in the future. The Lord . . . opens the past and future to the minds of
men, just as Jesus promised his disciples when he was about to leave them.
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all
truth; and he will show you things to come" (John 16:13). fn
With v. 126 the original revelation
is concluded. The portion from v. 127 onward was added on 3 January 1833, and
one notices a change in the literary style in the second part. It is equally
inspired and informative but seems less poetic and more prosaic.
The order of the school in the house
of God is presented, showing proper greetings of the brethren. The president of
the School is to enter the room first and hold a place of honor. With uplifted
hands, the president shall greet the members in the name of the Lord in token
of the everlasting covenant (vv. 127-37).
The School first met in an upstairs
room of the Gilbert and Whitney store in Kirtland. Later it met in a building
near the temple, and finally in an upstairs room of the temple (see D&C
95:17). A similar school was held in
It was while the School was meeting
in the store that a question arose about the use of alcohol and tobacco in the
School. At the Prophet's inquiry, he received the "Word of Wisdom" on
27 February 1833, which is now known as D&C 89. This section (and section
88) both show that there is a connection between physical things and
intellectual and spiritual attainment. One of the promises for obedience to the
principles of the Word of Wisdom is to "find wisdom, and great treasures
of knowledge, even hidden treasures (D&C 89:19). This information could
well have been included in the instruction about the School of the Prophets in
section 88, because it is of the same general nature. The guidelines given in
section 88 about the School, especially concerning sleep, could be part of the
"Word of Wisdom." From this instance, as with many others, we can see
that revelations come in a progressive manner, as they are needed and asked
for, and as the people are able to bear them, line upon line, here and there a
little.
As noted, the School of the Prophets
was to include only those who were totally dedicated to the Lord and who were
clean from sin. In June 1833, the Lord rebuked the brethren because
"contentions arose in the school," which the Lord said was "a
very grievous sin" (D&C 95:10). It was also in the School of the
Prophets that the excellent lessons known as the seven "Lectures on
Faith" were taught. fn
The Schools were eventually
discontinued in Kirtland and in
The Washing of Feet (vv. 138-41). Membership in the School was
specifically declared to be reserved for those who are "clean from the
blood of this generation" (v. 138); they were to be received into the
School by the washing of feet, administered by the president of the Church. It
was to be preceded by partaking of the sacramental emblems of the Savior's
flesh and blood (vv. 139-41). Concerning the washing of feet, the Prophet
Joseph Smith said:
The item to which I wish the more
particularly to call your attention to-night, is the ordinance of washing of
feet. This we have not done as yet, but it is necessary now, as much as it was
in the days of the Savior; and we must have a place prepared, that we may
attend to this ordinance aside from the world. . . .
We must have all things prepared, and
call our solemn assembly as the Lord has commanded us, that we may be able to
accomplish His great work, and it must be done in God's own way. The house of
the Lord must be prepared, and the solemn assembly called and organized in it,
according to the order of the house of God; and in it we must attend to the
ordinance of washing of feet. It was never intended for any but official
members. It is calculated to unite our hearts, that we may be one in feeling
and sentiment, and that our faith may be strong, so that Satan cannot overthrow
us, nor have any power over us here. fn
Conclusion
It cannot be emphasized too greatly
that section 88 is one of the most glorious documents given to man for his
spiritual progress and attainment. It speaks of things in a simple,
straightforward manner yet deals with concepts so profound and far-reaching
that it takes extensive study and contemplation just to appreciate its
grandeur. The careful reader is literally bathed in light as a consequence of
the experience. One of the things this revelation does for the reader is to lay
before him the high priority the Lord has placed on learning and the
acquisition of knowledge. Yet it makes unmistakably clear that this is not a
cold intellectual pursuit but a spiritual attainment.
Another characteristic that becomes
clear from a study of this revelation is the consistency of its content with
earlier revelation and an awareness that later revelations continue to expand
upon the same themes.
The student of section 88 is rewarded
with an enlarged view of the purposes of God, the coming of future events on
the earth, and the role of the servants of the Lord in helping to prepare for
the Second Coming of the Savior. The reader also senses more fully the promises
that are made to individuals. When one begins to understand these things, he is
encouraged to prepare himself, by study and by faith, to contribute whatever he
can to help the eternal purposes of the Lord roll forward. We thus appreciate a
little of what the Prophet had in mind when he named it the "Olive Leaf, .
. . the Lord's message of peace to us." fn
Notes The Olive Leaf
1. A discussion of this is found in
Robert J. Woodford, "The Historical Development of the Doctrine and
Covenants," Ph.D. dissertation,
2. TPJS, pp. 149-51.
3. Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines
of Salvation, 3 vols., comp. Bruce R. McConkie (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1954-56), 1:55.
4. From an address given in
5. See Larry E. Dahl, "The
Vision of the Glories," found herein, note 18; see also the footnote to
D&C 76:39, 1981 edition, which also clarifies this point.
6. See LaMar E. Garrard, "What
is Man?," Hearken, O Ye People: Discourses on the Doctrine and
Covenants (Salt Lake City: Randall Book Co., 1984), pp. 133-49.
7. JD 21:233-34.
8. TPJS, p. 137.
9. N. B. Lundwall, comp., Lectures
on Faith (
10. TPJS, p. 51.
11. See Joseph Smith's poetic version
of the Vision of the Glories, vv. 19-20, in Dahl, "The Vision of the
Glories," found herein.
12. TPJS, p. 19.
13. Ibid., pp. 91-92.
14. HC 2:432-33. For a
colorful and informative account of the spiritual manifestations connected with
the
15. JD 6:317.
16. TPJS, pp. 42-43.
17. JD 19:284.
18. For a discussion of the School of
the Prophets, see Lyndon W. Cook, The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph
Smith (Provo, Ut.: Seventy's Mission Bookstore, 1981), pp. 185-90.
19. For a brief account of these
"Lectures" see John A. Widtsoe, "Historical Sketch of the
Lectures on Faith," pp. 3-6 in Lundwall, comp., Lectures on Faith.
20. TPJS, pp. 90-91.
21. HC 1:316.
(Robert L. Millet and Kent P.
Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine and Covenants
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989],.)
Gospel’s purpose:
We need
to get people ready for the Millennium (this is the only dispensation that has
had this purpose).
The Millennial
In the conference that President Gordon B. Hinckley was sustatined as President
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he made this statement:
Now, my brethren and sisters, the time has
come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to
a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of
this The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is a season to be
strong. It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the
meaning, the breadth, and the importance of our mission. (“This Is the
Work of the Master,” Ensign, May 1995, p. 71).
Ten years
later while giving an account of his stewardship to the Church, he began by
repeating the above statement (see “Opening Remarks,” Ensign, May 2005,
p. 4). He concluded that report by saying:
I now repeat what I said 10 years ago, let us “stand a little taller
… lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and
understanding of the grand millennial mission of this The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
What is the millennial
mission of the Church? We are given insight into the millennail mission
of the Church from
On the evening on the 21st of September, A.D. 1823, while I was
praying unto God, and endeavoring to exercise faith in the precious promises of
Scripture, on a sudden a light like that of day, only of a far purer and more
glorious appearance and brightness, burst into the room indeed the first sight
was as though the house was filled with consuming fire; the appearance produced
a shock that affected the whole body; in a moment a personage stood before me
surrounded with a glory yet greater than that with which I was already
surrounded. This messenger proclaimed himself to be an angel of God, sent to
bring the joyful tidings that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel
was at hand to be fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the second coming
of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was at hand for
the Gospel in all its fullness to be preached in power, unto all nations that a
people might be prepared for the Millennial reign. I was informed that I
was chosen to be an instrument in the hands of God to bring about some
of His purposes in this glorious dispensation." (History of the
Church, Vol.4: p. 536)
There has been and will
be great enlightenment and advancement since the Restoration to get people
ready, but these advancements can be used for good or evil.
Blessings
All laws have these characteristics Law D&C 88:41 – All things come from God
Punishment
Those who cleave to God
and those who don’t
(Moses 1:30-36.)
30 And it came to pass
that Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are
so, and by what thou madest them?
31 And behold, the glory
of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and
talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own
purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me.
32 And by the word of my
power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of
grace and truth.
33 And worlds without
number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the
Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.
34 And the first man of
all men have I called Adam, which is many.
35 But only an account of
this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are
many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many
that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered
unto me, for they are mine and I know them.
36 And it came to pass
that Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, O God,
and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the
heavens, and then thy servant will be content.
By the Son of God,
worlds without end have been created.
Some have already come and gone, we are not alone in the universe.
As the offspring of God, man is a
creature of the universe, inhabiting many spheres in eternity. In perpetuating
His offspring, God has created worlds without number. To some of the ancient
patriarchs and prophets, God revealed the magnitude of His creations.
Consequently, they knew much about the universe. Like Methuselah, Abraham saw
Kolob and the great stellar system that is under the government of that central
orb. Moses was also informed of the vastness of God's creations, and that God
is continually organizing worlds as a part of His work of bringing to pass the
immortality and eternal life of man. God's ultimate purpose is to glorify that
which He creates. To this end, he organizes life that it might acquire greater
intelligence, and continue to increase in intelligence. In this way, God
develops His glory and power within all things.
By the power that is centered in the
Only Begotten, the Man of Holiness has organized worlds without number. By
means of the divine union which Jesus has with His Father in glory, He knows
all things within the Father's vast domain. Thereby all things within the
Father's kingdom are present before His eyes. Because Christ possesses a
fulness of the Father's glory, He also has all power in heaven and on earth.
There are patriarchal kingdoms one
above another in eternity, and intelligences exist one above another so that
there is no end to them so far as present knowledge indicates. As the over-all
patriarchal system moves upward, Elohim, the Man of Holiness, progresses in
posterity, in dominion, and in glory. He is continually begetting children in
eternity; and His creative works continue that He may provide spheres on which
they may dwell. But His final purpose is to glorify that which He creates. When
those who subordinate themselves to Him in truth consecrate themselves and all
they possess to Him, His dominion and power are extended and His glory is
increased. "God” is thus glorified
and exalted in the salvation and exaltation of his children." (”PJS, p. 348) The Lord therefore said:
"This“is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal
life of man." fn”
(Hyrum L. Andrus, Doctrinal
Commentary on the Pearl of Great Price [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1967], 508 - 50–.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:28-30.)
28 They who are of a
celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye
shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your
bodies are quickened.
29 Ye who are quickened by
a portion of the celestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a
fulness.
30 And they who are
quickened by a portion of the terrestrial glory shall then receive of the same,
even a fulness.
We are resurrected to
the kingdom according to how we choose to live. Intelligence organizes things; something
left alone will go into chaos. Science
says creation happens by chance, yet nothing on the earth supports that claim.
(
30 And may the Lord grant
unto you repentance, that ye may not bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may
not be bound down by the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second
death.
The city of
1 Nephi 21:26, 22:13-14
– There is a war between the
(1 Nephi 22:13-14.)
13 And the blood of that
great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn
upon their own heads; for they shall war among themselves, and the sword of
their own hands shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with
their own blood.
14 And every nation which
shall war against thee, O house of
God deals
with law, he governs by eternal laws, and it is what makes creation work.
Divine and Eternal Law
LDS revelation emphasizes the
existence and indispensability of law. The relation of divine law to other
species of law has not been given systematic treatment in Mormon thought as it
has in traditional Christian theology (e.g., the Summa Theologica of
Thomas Aquinas). But distinctive observations about divine law and eternal law
may be drawn from Latter-day scriptures and related sources.
Aquinas identified four categories of
law: (1) eternal law, which is coextensive with the divine mind and with the
overall purpose and plan of God; (2) natural law, which addresses mankind's proper
participation in eternal law but is discovered by reason without the assistance
of revelation and promulgation; (3) divine positive law, also a part of the
eternal law, which pertains to the sacraments and ordinances necessary to the
attainment of mankind's supernatural end made known by revelation; and (4)
man-made positive law, which regulates the affairs of mankind not specifically
addressed by God's law (e.g., laws that regulate such things as corporations,
stocks, bonds, wills, and trusts) or which mandate the natural law with the
power of the state.
LDS sources affirm laws roughly
corresponding to each of these four types. Unlike traditional Jewish and
Christian theologies, which place God outside of, and antecedent to, nature,
however, LDS theology places God within nature.
"Divine" laws are
instituted by God to govern his creations and kingdoms and to prescribe
behavior for his offspring. Such law, in the terms of Acquinas's categories,
would be divine positive law (i.e., law existing by virtue of being posited or
enacted by God). Some Latter-day Saints believe that "eternal" la” is
self-existent, unauthored law, which God himself honors and administers as a
condition of his perfection and Godhood. It should be noted that the adjectives
"divine" an” "eternal" do” not have fixed usages in writing
(see Time and Eternity).
Latter-day scriptures and other
sources do not explicitly state that eternal law exists independently or
coeternally with God. This characteristic of eternal law is sometimes inferred,
however, from two concepts that do have support in scripture and other LDS sources:
1. God is governed (bound) by law.
Latter-day scriptures state that "God” would cease to be God" if” he
were to allow mercy to destroy justice, or justice to overpower mercy, or the
plan of redemption to be fulfilled on unjust conditions (
2. Intelligence and truth were not
created; they are coeternal with God. "Intelligence, or the light of
truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent
in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all
intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence" (D”C 93:29-30). Joseph
Smith expanded upon this teaching in his king Follett discourse, stating that
"we “infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos….
Element had an existence from the time he had. The pure principles of
element…had no beginning, and can have no end…. The mind or the intelligence
which man possesses is coeternal with God himself" (T”JS, pp.
350-53). If truth and intelligence were not created by God and are coeternal
with him, it may be that they are ordered by and function according to eternal laws
or principles that are self-existent. This may be implied in Joseph Smith's phrase
"law“of eternal and self-existent principles" (T”JS, p. 181).
Consistent with the eternal laws, God
fashions and decrees laws that operate in the worlds he creates and that set
standards of behavior that must be observed in order to obtain the blessing
promised upon obedience to that law. Joseph Smith taught that "[Go“] was
the first Author of law, or the principle of it, to mankind" (T”JS,
p. 56).
Latter-day scriptures emphasize the
pervasive nature of divine law: "[Go“] hath given a law unto all things,
by which they move in their times and their seasons" (D”C 88:42). "This“
is the Light of Christ…which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to
fill the immensity of space-The light which is in all things, which giveth life
to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the
power of God who sitteth upon his throne" (D”C 88:7, 12-13).
These same sources suggest, however,
that divine law operates within the domain to which it inherently pertains or
is assigned by God and, therefore, has limits or bounds: "All” kingdoms
have a law given; and there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in which
there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either
a greater or a lesser kingdom. And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto
every law there are certain bounds also and conditions" (D”C 88:36-38).
The above references apparently
pertain to descriptive law-that is, the divine law that operates directly upon
or through physical and biological orders (see Nature, Law of).
Other laws of God are prescriptive.
They address the free will of man, setting forth standards and rules of
behavior necessary for salvation and for social harmony. Latter-day Saints
embrace such prescriptive commands of God as found in the Ten Commandments and
the Sermon on the Mount. Latter-day revelation also confirms that blessings and
salvation come through compliance with divine laws: "There is a law,
irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which
all blessings are predicated-and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by
obedience to that law upon which it is predicated" (D”C 130:20-21). "And”
they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even
the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a
Of these prescriptive laws or
commandments of God, LDS teachings tend to emphasize the following
characteristics: (1) the extent of the divine laws revealed to mankind may vary
from dispensation to dispensation, according to the needs and conditions of
mankind as God decrees; (2) they are given through and interpreted by his
prophets; (3) they are relatively concise, but "gentle" or”
benevolent, given to promote the happiness he has designed for his children (TPJS,
pp. 256-57); and (4) they are efficacious for mankind as God's harmony with
eternal law was, and is, efficacious for him, and will bring to pass the
exaltation of his righteous children.
(Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 vols, edited by Daniel H. Ludlow
(New York: Macmillan, 1992), 808.)
(Doctrine
and Covenants 88:46-49.)
46 Unto what shall I liken
these kingdoms, that ye may understand?
47 Behold, all these are
kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these hath seen God
moving in his majesty and power.
48 I say unto you, he hath
seen him; nevertheless, he who came unto his own was not comprehended.
49 The light shineth in
darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not; nevertheless, the day shall
come when you shall comprehend even God, being quickened in him and by him.
Kingdoms have reference
to other worlds Christ has created. Most
people do not comprehend who or what God is.
The day will come when we will comprehend God.
The ultimate experience
will be during the Millennium, when Christ will reign on earth and bring us to
God.
You can’t comprehend God in the body we are now in. We need to be quenched in Him and by
Him. At the end of the endowment (the
veil) is where we come into the presence of God.
D&C 88:51-61 – The
parable of other kingdoms which Christ visits, that all might be glorified and
empowered.
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:62-68.)
62 And again, verily I say
unto you, my friends, I leave these sayings with you to ponder in your hearts,
with this commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall call upon me while I
am near—
63 Draw near unto me and I
will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye
shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
64 Whatsoever ye ask the
Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;
65 And if ye ask anything
that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation.
66 Behold, that which you
hear is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness—in the wilderness, because
you cannot see him—my voice, because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth;
truth abideth and hath no end; and if it be in you it shall abound.
67 And if your eye be
single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there
shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light
comprehendeth all things.
68 Therefore, sanctify
yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that
you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his
own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.
We can draw near unto
Christ, but it is in His own time and in His own way (D&C 93:1). Prayer is our experience by which we can know
God and His will concerning us. Prayer
can be answered for our good or our condemnation if we go against the counsel
given.
Verse 70 – A solemn assembly
was called to receive the law and be empowered from on high (D&C 33).
Verse 74 – We are trying
to become clean before the Millennium.
Verse 75 – Fulfill the
promise given in verses 3-5.
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:3-5.)
3 Wherefore, I now send
upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your
hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that
I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
4 This Comforter is the
promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial
kingdom;
5 Which glory is that of
the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus
Christ his Son—
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:75.)
75 That I may testify unto
your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of
this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last
promise, which I have made unto you, when I will.
Verses 77-80 – Organize a school to
learn stated curriculum that they may be prepared in all things. Missionaries are sent to warn the world of
the Second Coming. They must be educated
before they can go out into the world.
You can’t teach what you don’t know.
The School of the Prophets is still going on today with our General
Authorities.
Verses 84-85 – If we have been
warned, then we need to warn our neighbor.
We are supposed to be educated, to have good jobs and build up the
kingdom. Prepare the people for the
Millennium.
D&C 89 was given as part of the
Honor Code to the School of the Prophets, later it was given to the whole
church (D&C 88:120-136)
Verses 117-119 - Our education is on
what God does, not always scriptural, we learn by inspiration, revelation, and
work, it just doesn’t happen! D&C
9:7-9, commanded to build a temple.
One reason for the Honor Code was to
become ONE in the name of the Lord.
Uplifted hands = clean hands, pure
heart. They greeted each other in this fashion;
it was part of the Honor Code, verses 132-133.
School of the Prophets. Section 88 called for the
organization of a school for all of those called to the ministry, for "there
instruction in all things" (verse 127). A subsequent revelation detailed
the meaning of "all” things" when it directed members of the school
to "study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with
languages, tongues and people" (D”C 90:15). The school, variously known as
the "School of the Prophets," the” "School of the Elders,"
an” the "school of mine apostles," was” intended to teach doctrine as
well as secular topics to the Elders in order to properly "qualify
themselves as messengers of Jesus Christ." ”Instruction for the "Elders"
was” offered during four winter sessions in Kirtland: January-April 1833,
1834-35, 1835-36, and 1836-37. Evidence also affirms that at least one session
of the school was held in
The 1833 School: Kirtland Phase. On January 23 a small number of men
convened to organize the School of the Prophets. The event which predominated
the meeting was the washing of feet. Following is an extract from the minutes
of the meeting:
Opened with Prayer by the President
[Joseph Smith] and after much speaking praying and singing, all done in Tongues
proceded to washing hands faces feet in the name of the Lord. . .each one
washing his own after which the president girded himself with a towel and again
washed the feet of all the Elders wiping them with the towel. . . . The
President said after he had washed the feet of the Elders, as I have done so do
ye wash ye therefore one another’s feet pronouncing at the same time through
the power of the Holy Ghost that the Elders were all clean from the blood of
this generation but that those among them who should sin willfully after they
were thus cleansed and sealed up unto eternal life should be given over unto
the buffpracticeSatan until the day of redemption. Having continued all day in
fasting & prayer before the Lord at the close they partook of the Lords
supper. fn
Consisting primarily of high priests,
members of the school met regularly for nearly ten weeks (23 January to about 1
April 1833) in
The Sacrament was "administered
at times when Joseph appointed, after the ancient order; that is, warm bread to
break easy was provided, and broken into pieces as large as [a] fist and each
person had a glass of wine." ”At the conclusion of each meeting, the
scholars were dismissed following a prayer with uplifted hands. Although the
school was primarily intended for "revelation and doctrine," ti”e was
also given for "learning English grammar," an” Sidney Rigdon "lectured
on grammar sometimes." fn”
Several accounts of spiritual
manifestations in the school are available. Zebedee Coltrin; however, is the
author of the most dramatic. The following is from Coltrin's account:
About the time the school was first
organized some wished to see an angel, and a number joined in a circle, and
prayed when the vision came, two of the brethren shrank and called for the
vision to close or they would perish, they were Bros. Hancock and Humphries.
At one of these meetings after the
organization of the school, on the 23rd January, 1833, when we were
all together, Joseph having given instructions, and while engaged in silent
prayer, kneeling, with our hands uplifted each one praying in silence, no one
whispered above his breath, a personage walked through the room from East to
west, and Joseph asked if we saw him. I saw him and suppose the others did, and
Joseph answered that is Jesus, the Son of God, our elder brother. Afterward
Joseph told us to resume our former position in prayer, which we did. Another
person came through; He was surrounded as with a flame of fire. He (Bro.
C[oltrin]) experienced a sensation that it might destroy the tabernacle as it
was of consuming fire of great brightness. The Prophet Joseph said this was the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I saw Him. . . . This appearance was so grand
and overwhelming that it seemed I should melt down in His presence, and the
sensation was so powerful that it thrilled through my whole system and I felt
it in the marrow of my bones. The Prophet Joseph said: Brethren now you are
prepared to be Apostles of Jesus Christ, for you have seen both the Father and
the Son. fn
(Lyndon W. Cook, The Revelations
of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the
Doctrine and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], 185 - 18–.)
Education was and is a major part of
getting people ready for the Millennium
D&C
93-97
Discourses of Wilford Woodruff:
AN INTERVIEW WITH BRIGHAM YOUNG I believe the eyes of the heavenly
hosts are over this people; I believe they are watching the elders of
And I will here say, I have heard him
refer to that while he was living. But what I was going to say is this: the
thought came to me that Brother Joseph had left the work of watching over this
Church and kingdom to others, and that he had gone ahead, and that he had left
this work to men who have lived and labored with us since he left us. This idea
manifested itself to me, that such men advance in the spirit world. And I
believe myself that these men who have died and gone into the spirit world had
this mission left with them; that is, a certain portion of them, to watch over
the Latter-day Saints.—JD 21:317-318, October 10, 1880.
WHEN MEN ARE CALLED TO THE OTHER SIDE
Perhaps I may be
permitted to relate a circumstance with which I am acquainted in relation to
Bishop Roskelley, of
On one occasion he was suddenly taken
very sick-near to death's door. While he lay in this condition, President Peter
Maughan, who was dead, came to him and said: "Brother Roskelley, we held a
council on the other side of the veil. I have had a great deal to do, and I
have the privilege of coming here to appoint one man to come and help. I have
had three names given to me in council, and you are one of them. I want to
inquire into your circumstances.
The Bishop told him what he had to
do, and they conversed together as one man would converse with another.
President Maughan then said to him: "I think I will not call you. I think
you are wanted here more than perhaps one of the others."
Bishop Roskelley got well from that
hour. Very soon after, the second man was taken sick, but not being able to
exercise sufficient faith, Brother Roskelley did not go to him. By and by this
man recovered, and on meeting Brother Roskelley, he said: "brother Maughan
came to me the other night and told me he was sent to call one man from the
ward," an” he named two men as had been done to Brother Roskelley. A few
days afterwards the third man was taken sick and died.
Now, I name this to show a principle. They
have work on the other side of the veil; and they want men, and they call them.
And that was my view in regards to Brother George A. Smith. When he was almost
at death's door, Brother Cannon administered to him, and in thirty minutes he
was up and ate breakfast with his family. We labored with him in this way, but
ultimately, as you know, he died. But it taught me a lesson. I felt that man
was wanted behind the veil. We labored also with Brother Pratt; but he, too,
was wanted behind the veil.—JD 22:334, October 8, 1881.
(Wilford Woodruff, The Discourses
of Wilford Woodruff, edited by G. Homer Durham [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1969], 289.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
93:19.)
19 I give unto you these
sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you
worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive
of his fulness.
What we
worship – Heavenly Father
How we
Worship – The same way as the Son, follow His example.
(Doctrine and Covenants
93:23-24.)
23 Ye were also in the
beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth;
24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they
were, and as they are to come;
We were in
the beginning with the Father. Truth is
knowledge of things as they are in mortality, that’s why we are here (testing
& knowledge). The pre mortal
experience (as they were), the spirit world, millennium and kingdoms after
death and judgment (as they are to come)
Eternal
truths are unchanging, we have always existed and are spirit offspring of God,
and thus we have the potential of becoming like God.
Ye Were in the Beginning
In Section 93 there are two verses
that reveal a doctrine that has tremendous meaning for Latter-day Saints and
all who desire to receive knowledge that gives meaning to the earth-life. The
verses are:
Ye were also in the beginning with
the Father.
Man was also in the beginning with God.
. (Verses 23, 29.)
In this message about man, including
other modern scriptures, an entire vista of information is opened up. It is not
the Doctrine and Covenants that gives much information about man's pre-earth
life, but the Pearl of Great Price. (Abraham 3:22-23; Moses 3:5.) Upon the
basis of the modern scriptures the prophets of this dispensation have provided
sufficient about that life to make a clear picture of its principles and
implications for the earth-life.
Basic to an understanding of the plan
of salvation is man's relationship to God. Concerning man, we learn that he is
a dual being consisting of a physical body and a spirit entity. The most important
truth regarding man's spirit is to be understood as literally having parents in
the life before this. The word "begotten" is” to be understood as
literally as the begetting of Jesus Christ in the spirit and also in the flesh
by our Heavenly Father. Paul the Apostle taught that we are the offspring of
God. (Acts 17:27, 28.) Old Testament prophets referred to the relationship of
man and God by saying he is "the “God of the spirits of all flesh." (Numbers
16:22; 27:16.) The writer of Hebrews speaks of the "Father of
Spirits." (Heb. 12:9.)
The importance of the doctrine of the
Fatherhood of God is known in many ways: (1) the highest measure of salvation,
exaltation or godhood, is possible because of the divine birth that man
received as the Father's child—the child may attain the heights of the Father;
(2) the concern for the well-being of the child by earthly parents is many
times magnified with our Heavenly Father; (3) greater meaning is attached to
prayer and the assurance of its being answered; (4) security is found in
knowing that whatever happens in life, there is meaning in those events.
Man's Creation
Man's origin is clarified by the First Presidency composed of Joseph F.
Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund:
Adam, our great progenitor "the” first man" was”, like Christ,
a pre-existent spirit, and like Christ he took upon him an appropriate body,
the body of a man, and so became a "living soul." The” doctrine of
pre-existence—revealed so plainly, particularly in the latter days, pours a
wonderful flood of light upon the otherwise mysterious problem of man's origin.
It shows that man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and
reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon
the earth in a temporal body to undergo an experience in mortality. It teaches
that all men existed in the spirit before any man existed in the flesh, and
that all who have inhabited the earth since Adam have taken bodies and become
souls in like manner . . . The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
basing its belief on divine revelation, ancient and modern, proclaims man to be
the direct and lineal offspring of Deity. ("The “Origin of Man," Improvement
Era, XIII, pp. 75-81.)
Man's Spirit
The spirit of man is in the form of
his earthly body. In an explanation concerning a passage of scripture, the Lord
revealed to the Prophet that "the” spirit of man [is] in the likeness of
his person." (D”C 77:2.) This divine truth, stated catapracticelwould be
understood to mean that certain disfigurements of the flesh in mortality would
not be inherited from the shape of the spirit. The fact that the body conforms
to the pre-existent spirit is also made known in the Book of Mormon. In a
wonderful revelation to the brother of Jared, whose faith permitted him to
behold the pre-existent Jesus Christ, the Son of God said:
Behold, I am he who was prepared from
the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus
Christ—Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men
were created in the beginning after mine own image. Behold, this body, which ye
now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of
my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto
my people in the flesh. (Ether 3:14-16.)
Man Is Eternal
We have learned that man was in the
beginning with God. Latter-day Saint theology teaches, however, that man is
eternal. If there was a beginning to man as a spirit, and man is eternal,
without beginning or end, then, how is this possible? As to form, spirit, man
had a beginning, but not as to conscious existence. The Prophet Joseph Smith
taught, in this manner, the wonderful truth that man is eternal:
I have another subject to dwell upon,
which is calculated to exalt man . . . the soul—the mind of man—the mortal
spirit. Where did it come from? All learned men and doctors of divinity say
that God created it in the beginning; but it is not so; the very idea lessens
man in my estimation. I do not believe the doctrine; I know better. Hear it,
all ye ends of the world; for God has told me so; and if you don't believe me
it will not make the truth without effect . . . We say that God himself is a
self-existent being . . . Man does exist upon the same principles . . . The
mind or the intelligence which man possesses is co-equal [co-eternal] with God
himself . . . I am dwelling on the immortality of the spirit of man. Is it
logical to say that the intelligence of spirits is immortal, had no beginning,
neither will it have an end. There never was a time when there were not
spirits; for they are co-equal [co-eternal] with our Father in Heaven. (DHC 6:310.)
From what source did the Prophet
receive his information on the eternal nature of man? From the same source—revelation—that
Abraham received the following:
. . . there is nothing that the Lord
thy God shall take in his heart to do but what he will do it. Howbeit that he
made the greater star; as, also if there be two spirits and one shall be more
intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more
intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall
have no end, they shall exist after for they are gnolaum, or eternal. (Abraham
3:17-18.)
Section 93 points out that:
Intelligence, or the light of truth,
was not created or made; neither indeed can be . . . For man is spirit. The
elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a
fulness of joy; and when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.
(Verses 29, 33, 34.)
These passages suggest the same idea
expressed by the Prophet when he used the expression, "the “intelligence
of spirits" in “the above quotation—the spirit of man consists of
intelligence, the uncreatable substance. Eternal matter—spirit—combined with
intelligence constitutes the eternal man.
President Joseph Fielding Smith of
the Council of the Twelve once wrote this observation concerning intelligence
and spirit:
Some of our writers have endeavored
to explain what an intelligence is, but to do so is futile, for we have never
been given any insight into this matter beyond what the Lord has fragmentarily
revealed. We know, however, that there is something called intelligence which
always existed. It is the real eternal part of man, which was not created or
made. This intelligence combined with the spirit constitutes a spiritual
identity or individual. The spirit of man, then is a combination of the
intelligence and the spirit which is an entity begotten of God. (The Progress
of Man, p. 11.)
(Roy W.
Doxey, The Doctrine and Covenants Speaks [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
Co., 1964], 2: 190.)
Our spirit
and physical body descended from God, and we are direct and lineal offspring of
Deity “Origin of Man” on website.
Moses 6:22
– We need an actual knowledge of our descent; we also have divine potential by
our birth.
Man, The
Offspring of God
Lorenzo Snow
Our spirit birth gave us godlike capabilities. We were born
in the image of God our Father; He begot us like unto Himself. There is the
nature of deity in the composition of our spiritual organization; in our
spiritual birth our Father transmitted to us the capabilities, powers and
faculties which He Himself possessed -- a–much so as the child on its mother's bosom
possesses, although in an undeveloped state, the faculties, powers, and
susceptibilities of its parent. [Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, p.4]
First Presidency Message:
Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, Anthon H. Lund
Man is the child of God, formed in the divine image and
endowed with divine attributes, and even as the infant son of an earthly father
and mother is capable in due time of becoming a man, so the undeveloped
offspring of celestial parentage is capable, by experience through ages and
aeons, of evolving into a God. [Messages of the First Presidency, 4:206]
Joseph Fielding Smith
We believe in the dignity and divine origin of man. Our
faith is founded on the fact that God is our Father, and that we are his
children, and that all men are brothers and sisters in the same eternal
family.
As members of his family, we dwelt with him before the
foundations of this earth were laid, and he ordained and established the plan
of salvation whereby we gained the privilege of advancing and progressing as we
are endeavoring to do.
The God we worship is a glorified Being in whom all power
and perfection dwell, and he has created man in his own image and likeness,
with those characteristics and attributes which he himself possesses.
[Conference Report, April 1970, p.4]
The Origin and Destiny of Man
(D&C 93)
LAMAR E. GARRARD
What is man? Where did he come from?
Why is he here on earth? Where is he going? These basic but simple questions
have been asked for centuries by philosophers, theologians, and even the common
man. How important these questions—and their answers—are to the Latter-day
Saints was emphasized by Joseph Smith when he said:
All men know that they must die. And
it is important that we should understand the reasons and causes of our exposure
to the vicissitudes of life and death, and the designs and purposes of God in
our coming into the world, our sufferings here, and our departure hence. What
is the object of our coming into existence, then dying and falling away, to be
here no more? It is but reasonable to suppose that God would reveal something
in reference to the matter, and it is a subject we ought to study more than any
other. We ought to study it day and night, for the world is ignorant in
reference to their true condition and relation. If we have any claim on our
Heavenly Father for anything, it is for knowledge on this important subject. fn
In The Beginning With The Father
One of the great revelations which
teach us about the origin and destiny of man is section 93 of the Doctrine and
Covenants. By studying this section along with other scriptures and the
teachings of Joseph Smith related to this subject, we can follow the admonition
of Joseph Smith and consequently gain an understanding of the origin and
destiny of man.
This great revelation teaches us
about ourselves by first teaching us about Christ and then showing us what our
relationship is to him. It states that Christ was "in the beginning with
the Father" and was "the Firstborn" (D&C 93:21). This
statement could not refer to Christ's birth here upon this earth wherein he
took upon himself a body of flesh and blood, since in this case he was the Only
Begotten of the Father. Rather, it would have to refer to his
"beginning" in a premortal state as the firstborn child among a
family of spirit children of God the Father. That all men were part of this
family of spirit children becomes apparent, for the revelation further states
that "ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit,
even the Spirit of truth" (D&C 93:23); another verse adds that
"man was also in the beginning with God" (D&C 93:29). No doubt
this "beginning" refers to our spirit birth, since we are further
told that the inhabitants of the world are "begotten sons and daughters
unto God" (see D&C 76:24). fn Furthermore, in his writings Joseph
Smith referred to God as the "Father of our spirits," fn "our
Great Parent," fn and "our Father." fn Modern revelation agrees
consistently with references made by Paul in the New Testament on this subject
wherein he states: we are "the offspring of God" (Acts 17:28, 29),
God the Father is "the Father of spirits" (Heb. 12:9), Christ is
"the firstborn of every creature" (Col. 1:15; see also Rev. 3:14),
and men are referred to as Christ's "brethren" (see Heb. 2:11-12,
17).
Just what a premortal spirit looks
like is revealed to us by an incident wherein a Jaredite prophet (the brother
of Jared) was allowed to view the premortal spirit of Christ and was surprised
to find out that his (Christ's) spirit resembled a body of flesh and blood
(Ether 3:6-20). In fact, the brother of Jared assumed he was looking at a
fleshy body until he was corrected by the Savior, who told him that he was not
looking at his physical body but rather at his spirit, since he (Christ) had not
yet been born upon the earth.
Seest thou that ye are created after
mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after
mine own image.
Behold, this body, which ye now
behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body
of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear
unto my people in the flesh (Ether 3:15-16, italics added).
In this scripture, the Lord refers to
two creations of man: in the second verse it is the physical creation of
Adam (man), but in the first verse it is the spirit creation of all men
in the beginning. fn This reference to spirit birth as a
"creation" is consistent with a scripture which states that God
"created all the children of men" before man was upon the earth to
till the ground, "for in heaven created I them" (Moses 3:5,
italics added). The Lord further stated that he "made the world,
and men before they were in the flesh" (Moses 6:51, italics added). These
modern revelations indicate, then, that the "beginning" of man
occurred in premortality—in heaven—where we were all "begotten" as
spirits, or in other words "created" or "made" in the image
of our immortal, resurrected, and exalted parents. fn
God designed or planned that
the spirit body and physical body of man be made in his image, fn and it is
through his great creative powers that we were born or created as spirits as
well as mortal beings. Our indebtedness to God for our spirits and mortal
bodies was emphasized by King Benjamin when he said:
O how you ought to thank your
heavenly King.
I say unto you, my brethren, that if
you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to
possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you
. . .
I say unto you that if ye should
serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is
preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and
move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment
to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would
be unprofitable servants (Mosiah 2:19-21, italics added).
Some have proposed that Joseph Smith
taught that the spirit of man was not created but rather has always
self-existed. This misunderstanding seems to have arisen as a result of the
various meanings associated with the word "create."
In the days of Joseph Smith many
theologians believed God created the earth ex nihilo, or out of nothing.
Joseph Smith refuted that belief and said that the word "create" means
to "organize," and that the world was organized by God out of
existing element or physical matter which was eternal. Even though the earth
had a "beginning" when it was organized, it is still eternal or
uncreated in the sense that the elements from which it was organized are
eternal and uncreated.
Now, the word create came from the
word baurau which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to
organize; the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship. Hence,
we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos—chaotic
matter, which is element, and in which dwells all the glory. Element had an
existence from the time he had. The pure principles of element are principles
which can never be destroyed; they may be organized and re-organized, but not
destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end. fn
The Doctrine and Covenants teaches
that after the earth was created or organized it later fell to a telestial
state. In the future it will be changed to a terrestrial state, then die and be
resurrected to a celestial state where it will continue throughout eternity as
an eternal or immortal home for the righteous. fn
Similarly, the physical or mortal
body of man has "beginning" when it is created or organized in the
mother's womb. However, the physical body is also eternal or uncreated in the
sense that the elements from which it was organized are eternal and uncreated.
Even though the body will undergo a change (reorganization of the elements) at
death and again in the resurrection, afterwards it will still continue to exist
throughout eternity as an eternal and immortal body (D&C 93:33; cf.
In like manner, the spirit of man had
a beginning when it was created (begotten) or organized in heaven. Like the
earth and our physical bodies, it is also "eternal" with "no
beginning" and "no end" in the sense of being organized from
"eternal" spirit matter which had "no beginning" and can
have "no end." fn Evidently Joseph Smith was merely refuting the idea
that the spirit was created out of nothing when he said that "the spirit
of man is not a created being; it existed from eternity, and will exist to
eternity. Anything created cannot be eternal; and earth, water, etc., had their
existence in an elementary state, from eternity." fn
Joseph Smith further explained that
this spirit was not immaterial, as some had advocated in his day, but rather
was organized from a substance or matter which was quite different from
physical matter.
In tracing the thing to the
foundation, and looking at it philosophically, we shall find a very material
difference between the body and the spirit; the body is supposed to be
organized matter, and the spirit, by many, is thought to be immaterial, without
substance. With this latter statement we should beg leave to differ, and state
the spirit is a substance; that it is material, but that it is more pure,
elastic and refined matter than the body; that it existed before the body, can
exist in the body; and will exist separate from the body, when the body will be
mouldering in the dust; and will in the resurrection, be again united with it.
fn
Grace for Grace
So we see that section 93 teaches us
that mortal man is a dual being composed of a spirit (an offspring of God)
which is clothed in a physical body composed of eternal elements. God's great
design or plan is to make men happy; as Joseph Smith said, "Happiness is
the object and design of our existence." fn Evidently, gaining a spirit
body gives a person a certain amount of happiness (see Job 38:4-7); and gaining
a physical body or tabernacle to house that spirit brings still more happiness,
for "the great principle of happiness consists in having a body." fn
Man is restricted in his happiness without a physical body, fn and can only
receive a fulness of happiness or joy after the resurrection when the spirit
and the physical body are inseparably connected.
For man is spirit. The elements are
eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of
joy;
And when separated, man cannot
receive a fulness of joy.
The elements are the tabernacle of
God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is
defiled, God shall destroy that temple (D&C 93:33-35).
Gaining an immortal body in the
resurrection is necessary but not sufficient to gain a fulness of joy.
Evidently, to gain a fulness of light and truth is the other necessary
requirement for gaining a fulness of joy. John tells us that when Christ came
on earth to dwell in the flesh, he did not have a fulness of light and truth.
fn He received, however, additional light and truth as he continually obeyed
his Father, even though he was subjected to severe opposition in terms of
trials and temptations. fn
And I, John, bear record that I
beheld . . . the Only Begotten of the Father . . . which came and dwelt in the
flesh, and dwelt among us.
And I, John, saw that he received not
of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;
And he received not of the fulness at
first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;
And thus he was called the Son of
God, because he received not of the fulness at the first (D&C 93:11-14).
John tells us further that after
Christ's resurrection when he received all power in heaven and earth, he also
received a fulness of the glory of the Father, which is a fulness of light and
truth: fn "And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the
glory of the Father; And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth,
and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him" (D&C
93:16-17; cf. Matt. 28:18).
At that time, as a glorified,
perfected, immortal being, Christ experienced a fulness of joy. fn Not only did
Christ receive a fulness of joy, but section 93 reveals to us that men can also
attain this great goal if they obey his commandments as he obeyed his Father,
while suffering severe trials and temptations. fn
The Spirit of truth is of God. I am
the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness
of truth, yea, even of all truth;
And no man receiveth a fulness unless
he keepeth his commandments.
He that keepeth his commandments
receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all
things (D&C 93:26-28).
How is it possible that men can
achieve a fulness of light and truth and consequently a fulness of joy? Again,
section 93 reminds us that in premortality we sprang from the same source as
did Christ. We are also a Spirit of truth or spirit child of God the Father as
was Christ: "And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with
the Father, and am the Firstborn. . . . Ye were also in the beginning with the
Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth" (D&C 93:21,
23).
Once organized or
"created," the premortal spirit of man or "Spirit of truth"
seems to have inherited from its eternal parents the ability to receive light
and truth sent to it by God. The word of God "is truth, and whatsoever is
truth is light" (D&C 84:45), and when the spirit of man hearkens to
and obeys God by accepting this light and truth, he is enlightened and receives
more light. fn When the spirit of man refuses to accept this light and truth,
or in other words disobeys God, he not only loses the light he could have
received but may also lose the light already accumulated from prior obedience.
fn That the spirit of man may not have had the ability to be enlightened prior
to its organization seems to be implied in the following statement made by
Joseph Smith: "We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of
instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and
diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and
that the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater
his enjoyments." fn
Also, section 93 states that after
its "beginning" or organization, the spirit was "innocent"
(D&C 93:38). This is no doubt because prior to its organization it had the
potential but not the ability to receive light from God. Hence, when there is
"no law" given, there is "no sin" (2 Ne. 2:13;
Modern revelation seems to indicate
that two things make it possible for the spirit of man to have the ability to
receive or reject light and truth from God: first, the innate, uncreated, and
eternal nature of spirit matter itself called "intelligence"; second,
the creative and organizing power of God. If God were totally responsible for
creating the spirit itself (i.e., responsible for bringing it into existence), then
he would be responsible for the basic nature of the spirit, whether it prefers
to obey or disobey him. Then it would seem unreasonable and unjust for God to
condemn the spirit for disobeying him when he was responsible for the spirit's
basic preferences.
Section 93 seems to indicate that the
intelligence of spirits (referred to in the parenthetical phrase as
"uncreated") is such that after its beginning with the Father (where
it was organized or "created" by the power of God and became a "Spirit
of truth," or "truth") where it was placed in the proper sphere
and given agency by God, fn it could then act independently and
therefore be accountable for the choices it makes.
Man was also in the beginning with
God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither
indeed can be.
All truth is independent in
that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence
also; otherwise there is no existence.
Behold, here is the agency of man,
and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning
is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.
And every man whose spirit receiveth
not the light is under condemnation.
For man is spirit (D&C 93:29-33,
italics added).
As the newly-organized spirit of man
obeys the laws of God, it gains more light and truth, or knowledge, and
advances toward Godhood. fn
The first principles of man are
self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and
glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby
the rest could have the privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we
have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge. He has the
power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences, that they may be
exalted with himself, so that they might have one glory upon another, and all
that knowledge, power, glory, and intelligence, which is requisite in order to
save them in the world of spirits. fn
As mentioned previously, God
organized man with one object in mind: to make men happy. In his infinite
wisdom and knowledge he knows which pathway is best for us to follow to make us
happy. As we obey his commandments or laws (light and truth) he reveals
additional commandments which if obeyed, will bring us closer to a fulness of
light and truth. fn
Happiness is the object and design of
our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to
it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping
all the commandments of God. But we cannot keep all the commandments without
first knowing them, and we cannot expect to know all, or more than we now know
unless we comply with or keep those we have already received. . . .
In obedience there is joy and peace
unspotted, unalloyed; and as God has designed our happiness—and the happiness
of all His creatures, he never has—He never will institute an ordinance or give
a commandment to His people that is not calculated in its nature to promote
that happiness which He has designed, and which will not end in the greatest
amount of good and glory to those who become the recipients of his law and
ordinances. fn
Section 93 reveals to us that
"the glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and
truth" (D&C 93:36). This indicates that "intelligence" has
reference not only to the basic uncreated nature of the spirit, but also to how
much light and truth a spirit has accumulated because of its obedience up to
that point. John was allowed to see the glory or "intelligence"
attained by Christ before this world was organized (D&C 93:7; cf. John
17:5). In another vision Abraham was allowed to see the glory or
"intelligence" attained by Christ as well as other premortal spirits
at a time when a council was being held to plan the creation of this earth.
Just as stars differ from each other in brightness, he saw that some spirits
had more glory or were more "intelligent" than others because of
their obedience; Christ had gained so much light and truth that he was more intelligent
than they all. In fact, Christ had become so intelligent by his obedience that
his wisdom excelled above them all, and God chose him to be the Lord God of
this earth to rule over all the other spirits or "organized
intelligences" (see Abr. 3:19-22). Having gained so much light and truth
in premortality, Christ became a source of light and truth (the fountain of all
righteousness) for his spirit brothers and sisters. fn As we listened to him,
obeyed him, and became acquainted with his voice, we advanced also in light and
truth. fn Some of the more obedient or noble spirits were chosen to be rulers
in mortality (see Abr. 3:22-23; cf. Jer. 1:5). Evidently, the intelligence or
amount of light and truth we acquired in premortality affects our tendency to
accept light and truth in mortality. fn Even though we have a fallen mortal
body subject to the power or temptations of Satan in this life, fn to house our
spirits (D&C 93:35; cf. 1 Cor. 3:16-17), our spirit (a child of God) can
still choose to receive light and truth fn and obey God. As the spirit
accumulates more light and truth it gains the spiritual power to resist and
overcome the temptations and trials associated with the fallen body and
environment, fn which are all a part of this fallen mortal world. fn In other
words, as we obey Christ's voice, which comes to us through his Spirit, the
redemptive power of the atonement makes it possible for us to overcome the
spiritual death which resulted from the fall of man. fn That is, we are led to
the gospel of Jesus Christ (D&C 84:43-48), and if we are obedient and
accept it, we will receive the Holy Ghost, and through the redemptive power of
Christ we can continue to feast upon the words of Christ and receive additional
light and truth. fn This process of obeying, receiving light and truth, then
further obeying that which was revealed to us (going from grace to grace) will
continue until sometime after the resurrection when we will receive a fulness
of light and truth, becoming like Christ himself, possessing a fulness of the
glory of the Father. fn
And I, John, bear record that he
received a fulness of the glory of the Father;
And he received all power, both in
heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in
him. . . .
I give unto you these sayings that
you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you
may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.
For if you keep my commandments you
shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father;
therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace. . . .
He that keepeth his commandments
receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all
things (D&C 93:16-17, 19-20, 28).
Worship consists largely in the
imitation of the Master. fn Hence, by knowing what Christ was, what he is now
and how he obtained his present position, we can worship God, follow Christ's
example, and eventually become a joint heir with him to share eternal life and
a fulness of light and truth forever. fn
Notes The Origin and Destiny of Man
1. TPJS, p. 324.
2. That this is referring to literal
spirit birth and not spiritual rebirth is evidenced by the fact that the
inhabitants of the world do not all eventually go through this spiritual
rebirth. Also, in many passages of the Doctrine and Covenants, God is referred
to as "our" Father as well as the Father of spirits. See D&C
84:83, 92; 88:75; 89:5; 123:6.
3. TPJS, p. 48.
4. Ibid., p. 55.
5. Ibid., pp. 56, 353.
6. Since both creations were made in
the image of God, the spirit of man and his physical body should be in the
likeness of each other. This agrees with the revelation which states that the
"spirit of man" is "in the likeness of his person" (D&C
77:2).
7. The scriptures state and Joseph
Smith taught that exalted persons are capable of having seed eternally (see
D&C 131:4; 132:19-20; TPJS, pp. 300-1).
8. See Ether 3:15-16; Moses 2:26-27;
Abr. 4:26-27; D&C 77:2.
9. TPJS, pp. 350-52, italics
added. Note how the phrases "have no beginning" and "have no
end" are similarly used in Abraham 3:18.
10. D&C 29:22-24; 101:23-25;
88:19-20, 25-26; cf. Rev. 21:1-5.
11. See D&C 93:29, where the
parenthetical phrase "Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created
or made, neither indeed can be," was probably inserted to remind us that
the elementary spirit matter or "intelligence" is eternal and
uncreated even though the spirit itself had a beginning with God in heaven.
Abr. 3:18 is sometimes used to support
the view that the spirits of men never had a beginning and are self-existent.
This passage refers to the spirits of men as having "no beginning; they
existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are
gnolaum, or eternal." Verse 22 in this same context, however, speaks of
these spirits as "organized intelligences." Evidently, it is the
spirit matter or intelligence that has "no beginning," and can have
"no end" for the spirit body or "organized intelligence"
definitely had a beginning when it was organized or begotten in heaven. Elder
Bruce R. McConkie emphasized this when he said: "Abraham used the name intelligences
to apply to the spirit children of the Eternal Father. The intelligence or
spirit element became intelligences after the spirits were born as individual
entities" (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1966], p. 387).
Besides Abraham 3:18, statements by
Joseph Smith have also been used to propose the idea that spirits are
self-existent and were never created (see TPJS, pp. 352-54). However,
these statements must be taken in context with other statements by Joseph
Smith, such as those where he states that it is the "intelligence of
spirit" that had no beginning or end and "the mind or intelligence
which man possesses is co-equal with God" (TPJS, p. 353).
12. TPJS, p.158.
13. Ibid., p. 207; cf. D&C
131:7-8.
14. Ibid., p. 255.
15. Ibid., p. 181.
16. Ibid., p. 181; D&C
45:17, 6; cf. Abr. 3:26; Moses 1:39.
17. The John bearing his testimony
here is John the Baptist. See Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965), 1:70-71; Sidney B.
Sperry, Doctrine and Covenants Compendium (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1960), pp. 472-73.
18. Mosiah 3:7-11; 15:1-9; Heb.
2:9-11, 14-18; 4:14-16; 5:7-9.
19. "The glory of God is
intelligence, or in other words, light and truth" (D&C 93:36). See
also D&C 93:6, 26.
20. After his resurrection when he
was perfected (Matt. 5:48; cf. 3 Ne. 12:48), the Savior appeared to his Nephite
Twelve and told them that his Father had given him a fulness of joy (3 Ne.
28:10; cf. 3 Ne. 17:20). Christ endured much suffering, temptations, and shame,
including death on the cross, "for the joy that was set before him"
(Heb. 12:2; cf. 1 Pet. 1:11).
21. While ministering to the Nephites
as a perfected being, Christ promised his Nephite Twelve a future fulness of
joy in the kingdom of his Father (3 Ne. 28:10). Man is that he might have joy
(2 Ne. 2:25), but that fulness of joy is not to be found in this world (D&C
101:35-38), for we sometimes have to suffer as Christ did (Rom. 8:16-18; 1 Pet.
1:6-7; 2:20-25; 3:17-20; 4:1, 12-18; 5:8-11; Rev. 7:14; D&C 58:1-5; 98:3,
12-15; 101:35-38; 121:7-10; 122:7-9; 123:12-17; 136:30-31; 138:12-14). Eventually,
however, we will receive eternal joy for our suffering (D&C 109:76). Those
who resist temptation, and endure trials and sufferings while remaining
faithful stewards, shall eventually inherit eternal life and "shall enter
into the joy of the Lord" (D&C 51:19). Joseph Smith summarized this by
saying that "those who have died in Jesus Christ may expect to enter into
all the fruitions of joy when they come forth, which they possessed or
anticipated here" (TPJS, p. 295).
22. D&C 50:24, 34-35, 40-44;
63:23; 84:43-48; 88:11-13, 66-67; 2 Ne. 31:18-32:5; Alma 12:9-10; 32:27-37,
41-43; TPJS, pp. 297-98, 305.
23. D&C 1:33; 93:39;
24. TPJS, p. 51.
25. The scriptures indicate that
agency comes to us as a gift from God (Moses 4:3-4; D&C 29:36-39; 101:78; 2
Ne. 2:16. Because of God's power, men can choose which way to act
according to their own desires (
26. There are some who have proposed
that we existed as individual entities capable of thinking and acting
before our spirit birth. However, the scriptures do not seem to warrant such an
assumption; the creative and organizing power of God was necessary in order to
produce the spirit which could act for itself and be responsible for those
actions. Even after spirit birth, the power of God is necessary for us to have
free agency and continue to act and be acted upon. See 2 Ne. 2:13-14; Mosiah
2:19-21, 23-25.
27. TPJS, p. 354.
28. D&C 50:24, 40-44; 63:23;
88:66-67; 2 Ne. 31:20; Alma 12:10; 32:41; John 4:14; TPJS, pp. 51,
297-98, 346-48.
29. TPJS, pp. 255-57. C.S.
Lewis has said much the same thing: "God made us: invented us as a man
invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it won't run properly on
anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself
is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were
designed to feed on, there isn't any other. That's why it's just no good asking
God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God can't
give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it isn't there.
There's no such thing" (The Case for Christianity [New York City:
MacMillan, 1948], p. 43).
30. Ether 8:26; 12:28. Abinadi refers
to Christ as "the light and life of the world; yea, a light that is
endless, that can never be darkened" (Mosiah 16:9; see also D&C 6:21;
11:10-14, 28; 3 Ne. 18:16, 24).
31. In the Joseph Smith Translation,
John tells us (John 1:1) that in the beginning before the world was, the gospel
was preached through the Son who had become God. See Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, 1:70-71.
32. Those who listened to Christ's
voice in premortality tend to listen to it in mortality. See John 10:14, 27-29;
cf. D&C 84:52; 50:40-44. See also Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine
(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1971), pp. 12-14.
33. D&C 29:39-40; 2 Ne. 2:29;
4:17-19, 27; 10:24; 3 Ne. 28:37-39; Rom. 8:1-13; Gal. 5:16-18.
34. TPJS, p. 355; 2 Ne.
2:26-29; 10:23-24; Alma 3:26-27.
35. Joseph Smith explained that if we
listened to God's voice and obeyed, Satan would have no power over us (TPJS,
pp. 181, 187; cf. Moses 4:4).
36. Even though we inherit fallen
bodies (Ether 3:2) and are born into a wicked world where we are subject To
good and evil (Moses 6:55-56), if we call upon God for help and then obey
his voice, he will give us the power to overcome all evil (D&C 50:24,
34-35; Rom. 8:12-14; TPJS, p. 51; Alma 13:28). Christ was subject to all
the temptations known to man (Heb. 2:16-18; 4:15; 5:8-9), but he never yielded
to temptation because his spirit listened to the voice of the Father and hence
ruled over his flesh so that the "will of the Son" was
"swallowed up in the will of the Father" (Mosiah 15:1-7).
37. D&C 29:40-44; Moses 5:9;
6:59-60, 64-65; cf. Mosiah 3:19; Ether 3:2.
38. 2 Ne. 31:17-32:5; cf. John
4:7-15; 6:32-35, 48-63; 7:37-39; 8:12.
39. D&C 50:24, 34-35, 40-44;
88:66-67; TPJS pp. 346-48, 354.
40. 2 Ne. 31:9-10, 12-13, 16-17; TPJS
pp. 347-48.
41. Rom. 8:14-18; Gal. 4:4-7; D&C
35:2; 50:24, 40-43; 76:56-70; 84:38; 88:49-50, 66-67, 107; 93:20, 26-28;
132:19-21.
(Robert L. Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies
in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1989], 365.)
Doctrine and Covenants
88:6-13 – The Light of Christ
6 He that ascended up on
high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all
things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;
7 Which truth shineth.
This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the
sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.
8 As also he is in the
moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made;
9 As also the light of the
stars, and the power thereof by which they were made;
10 And the earth also, and
the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand.
11 And the light which
shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes,
which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;
12 Which light proceedeth
forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—
13 The light which is in
all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all
things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is
in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.
Light of
Christ = Glory >> Law >> Life >> Light >> Power
>> Truth
Christ
learned to control this, not all at once but over time He received the fulness,
grace for grace.
Grace =
Enabling power to act, (learn one principle, then move to the next and so
forth)
(Doctrine and Covenants
93:9-17.)
9 The light and the
Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because
the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.
10 The worlds were made by
him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him, and of
him.
11 And I, John, bear record
that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full
of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the
flesh, and dwelt among us.
12 And I, John, saw that
he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;
13 And he received not of
the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a
fulness;
14 And thus he was called
the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.
15 And I, John, bear
record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him
in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven
saying: This is my beloved Son.
16 And I, John, bear
record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father;
17 And he received all
power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him,
for he dwelt in him.
3 phases of
the fulness of the Light of Christ
- General Population, beginning
of faith in Christ
- Gift of the Holy Ghost
administers this aspect – 1st Comforter, ordinances of baptism
& GHG
- 2nd Comforter – Calling and
Election made sure by Christ Himself, further ordinances and covenants are
given. The fulness is given, faith
that created worlds.
- The power of God, the fulness
is controlled by God.
The Light of Christ
Bruce R. McConkie
A New Witness for the Articles of
Faith, pp. 257-258
There is a spirit -- t– Spirit of the
Lord, the Spirit of Christ, the light of truth, the light of Christ -- t–t
defies description and is beyond mortal comprehension. It is in us and in all
things; it is around us and around all things; it fills the earth and the
heavens and the universe. It is everywhere, in all immensity, without
exception; it is an indwelling, immanent, ever-present, never-absent spirit. It
has neither shape nor form nor personality. It is not an entity nor a person
nor a personage. It has no agency, does not act independently, and exists not
to act but to be acted upon. As far as we know, it has no substance and is not
material, at least as we measure these things. It is variously described as
light and life and law and truth and power. It is the light of Christ; it is
the life that is in all things; it is the law by which all things are governed;
it is truth shining forth in darkness; it is the power of God who sitteth upon
his throne. It may be that it is also priesthood and faith and omnipotence, for
these too are the power of God.
This light of truth or light of
Christ is seen in the light of the luminaries of heaven; it is the power by
which the sun, moon, and stars, and the earth itself are made. It is the light
that proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of
space." It “is "the “light which is in all things, which giveth life
to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the
power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who
is in the midst of all things." It “is the agency of God’s power; it is
the means and way whereby "he “comprehended all things," so “that
"all” things are before him, and all things are round about him." It”
is the way whereby "he “s above all things, and in all things, and is
through all things, and is round about all things." Because of it, "all”
things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever." (D&C
88:6-13, 41.)
Thus, when the Mosaic account of the
creation says that "the “Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
waters" (Genesis 1:2), and when Abraham records of those same events that
"the “Spirit of the Gods was brooding upon the face of the waters" (Abraham
4:2), the revealed word is speaking of the light of Christ. And when Job says
that "by “is spirit [the Lord] hath garnished the heavens" (Job
26:13), and the Psalmist explains that all things were created because the Lord
sent forth his spirit, by which also he "renews the face of the
earth" (Psalm 104:30), both are teaching the same truth. Creation itself
came by the light of Christ.
The light of Christ is neither the
Holy Ghost nor the gift of the Holy Ghost; but that member of the Godhead,
because he along with the Father and the Son is God, uses the light of Christ
for his purposes. Thus spiritual gifts, the gifts of God meaning faith,
miracles, prophecy, and all the rest come from God by the power of the Holy
Ghost. Men prophesy, for instance, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost. And yet
The Light of Christ
President Marion G.
Romney
Conference Report, Apr. 1977, p. 59-63;
or Ensign, May 1977, p. 43-45
My brethren, I pray, and ask
you to join in that prayer, that while I speak we will enjoy the Spirit of
Christ. If we don't enjoy it, we won't enjoy these remarks, because my topic is
"The “Light of Christ." There are three phases of the light of Christ
that I want to mention.
The first one is the light
which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world;
The second phase is the gift of the Holy Ghost;
And the third is the more sure word of prophecy.
The Light of Christ
In the eighty-eighth section
of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord says, "The “light of Christ . . .
proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space."
(V”. 7, 12 [D&C 88:7, 12].)
In another revelation, it is
written that this light, which is "the “Spirit of Jesus Christ . . .
giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit
enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the
Spirit." (D”C 84:4546.)
This Spirit is, no doubt,
the source of one’s conscience, which Webster defines as “a knowledge or
feeling of right and wrong with a compulsion to do right.”
Mormon was alluding to this
Spirit when he wrote to his son
“Wherefore, take heed, my
beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that
which is good and of God to be of the devil.
“For behold, my brethren, it
is given unto you to judge, [and that gift is because the light of Christ
enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world], that ye may know good from
evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect
knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.
“For behold, the Spirit of
Christ is given to every man that he may know good from evil.” (Moro. 7:1316 [
President Joseph F. Smith
says that this Spirit of Christ “strives with . . . men, and will continue to
strive with them [if they will resist the enticings of Satan], until it brings
them to a knowledge of the truth and the possession of the greater light and
testimony of the Holy Ghost.” (Gospel Doctrine, Deseret Book Co., 1973, pp. 6768.)
Gift of the Holy Ghost
Now, this statement of President
Smith’s brings us to a consideration of the second phase of our subject: the
gift of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is a person,
a [Ensign, p. 44] spirit, the third member of the Godhead. He is a messenger
and a witness of the Father and the Son. He brings to men testimony, witness,
and knowledge of God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the truths of the
gospel. He vitalizes truth in the hearts and souls of men.
“There is a difference,”
said the Prophet Joseph Smith, “between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy
Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the
convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the Gospel, but he could not
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not [been
baptized], the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God, would have
left him.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 199.) That’s not my
statement; that’s the statement of the Prophet Joseph Smith. But I know it’s
true.
The gift of the Holy Ghost
confers upon one, as long as he is worthy, the right to receive light and
truth.
Obtaining the gift of the
Holy Ghost is preceded by faith, repentance, and baptism. Retaining the spirit,
power, and guidance of the Holy Ghost requires a righteous life–a dedicated
effort to constantly comply with the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
Member of the Godhead
The Holy Ghost is, as we
have said, the third member of the Godhead. Of Him the Prophet Joseph said:
“The Holy Ghost has not a
body of flesh and bones [as we know that God and Jesus Christ have], but is a
personage of Spirit.” (D&C 130:22.)
The Holy Ghost is the great
witness of, the messenger for, and testifier of the Father and the Son. The
Savior, speaking of Him as the “Spirit of truth,” said:
“When he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of
himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew
you things to come.
“He shall glorify me: for he
shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (John 16:1314.)
By the witness and power of
the Holy Ghost we receive personal testimonies of the truths of the gospel,
including knowledge of God the Father and His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our
Savior and Redeemer.
Notwithstanding the
availability of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, there are many people who live
within reach of them who fail to see them. Concerning such tragedy, the Lord
said:
“Behold, I am Jesus Christ,
the Son [CR, p. 61] of God. I am the same that came unto mine own, and mine own
received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness
comprehendeth it not.” (D&C 6:21.)
Comprehending the light
All three of the synoptic
Gospel writers record the following classic illustration of the difficulty one
in darkness has in comprehending the light. Matthew’s version reads:
“When Jesus came into the
coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say
that I the Son of man am?
“And they said, Some say
that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of
the prophets.” (Matt. 16: 1314.)
Now, the people who
expressed these opinions were Christ’s contemporaries. Their conclusions
evidenced the fact that they knew something about His mighty works. No doubt
they were aware of His claim that He was the Son of God. Their minds, however,
were opaque to the light of His true identity. Although the light was shining
brightly about them, they “comprehended it not.”
Having heard their answer as
to who men said He was, Jesus directed to His disciples the question, “But whom
say ye that I am?” (Matt. 16:15 [Matthew 16:15].)
Then Peter, speaking for
himself and presumptively for the others, answered, “Thou art the Christ, the
Son of the living God.” (Matt. 16:16 [Matthew 16:16] .) In this declaration,
Peter evidenced the fact that he and his fellow disciples did comprehend the
light shining in the world of spiritual darkness around them.
In His response to Peter’s
answer, Jesus declared a truth understood only by those who comprehend the
light by and through the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, for Jesus’ answer
was:
“Flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee,” He said, “but my Father which is in heaven, . . . and
upon this rock”–meaning, upon the rock of revelation, which comes by means of
the Holy Ghost–“I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it.” (Matt. 16:1718 [Matthew 16:1718].)
How difficult it is to get
one in darkness to comprehend the light or to believe that there is such light
is illustrated by John’s account of the interview between Jesus and Nicodemus.
“There was,” says John, “a
man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
“[Who] came to Jesus by
night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God:
for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
“Jesus answered and said . .
. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see
the
“Nicodemus saith unto him,
How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his
mother’s womb, and be born?
“Jesus answered, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the
One is born again by
actually receiving and experiencing the light and power inherent in the gift of
the Holy Ghost.
“More sure word of
prophecy”
Now, concerning the third
phase of our theme, “the more sure word of prophecy” (D&C 131:5), which is
obtained by making one’s “calling and election sure” (2 Pet. 1:10 [2 Peter 1:10]),
the Prophet Joseph said:
“After a person has faith in
Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and
receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands) . . . then let him
continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after
righteousness, and [CR, p. 62] living by every word of God, and the Lord will
soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly
proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards,
then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be
his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the
Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of
In the eighty-eighth section
of the Doctrine and Covenants is recorded a revelation in which the Lord,
addressing some of the early Saints in
“I now send upon you another
Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the
Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto
my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
“This Comforter is the
promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial
kingdom.” (D&C 88:34.)
I should think that all
faithful Latter-day Saints “would want that more sure word of prophecy, that
they were sealed in the heavens and had the promise of eternal life in the
Anchor to men’s souls
As I read the sacred
records, I find recorded experiences of men in all dispensations who have had
this more sure anchor to their souls, this peace in their hearts.
Lehi’s grandson Enos so
hungered after righteousness that he cried unto the Lord until “there came a
voice unto [him], saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be
blessed.” (Enos 5 [Enos 1:5] .) Years later Enos revealed the nature of this
promised blessing when he wrote:
“I soon go to the place of
my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I
rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand
before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me:
Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of
my Father.” (Enos 27 [Enos 1:27] .)
To
To His twelve Nephite
disciples, the Master said:
“What is it that ye desire
of me, after that I am gone to the Father?
“And they all spake, save it
were three, saying: We desire that after we have lived unto the age of man,
that our ministry, wherein thou hast called us, may have an end, that we may
speedily come unto thee in thy kingdom.
“And he said unto them:
Blessed are ye because ye desired this thing of me; therefore, after that ye
are seventy and two years old ye shall come unto me in my kingdom; and with me
ye shall find rest.” (3 Ne. 28:13 [3 Nephi 28:13] .)
As
“Thou hast been faithful;
wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy
weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place
which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.” (Eth. 12:37 [Ether 12:37]
.)
Paul, in his second epistle
to Timothy, wrote:
“I am now ready to be
offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
“I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
“Henceforth there is laid up
for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall
give me at that day.” (2 Tim. 4:68 [2 Timothy 4:68].)
Assurances in our day
In this dispensation many
have received like assurances. In the spring of 1839, while the Prophet Joseph
and his associates were languishing in Liberty Jail, Heber C. Kimball, our
president’s grandfather, labored against great odds caring for the Saints and
striving to free the brethren who were in jail. On the sixth of April he wrote:
“My family having been gone
about two months, during which time I heard nothing from them; our brethren
being in prison; death and destruction following us everywhere we went; I felt
very sorrowful and lonely. The following words came to mind, and the Spirit
said unto me, ‘write,’ which I did by taking a piece of paper and writing on my
knee as follows: . . .
“Verily I say unto my
servant Heber, thou art my son, in whom I am well pleased; for thou art careful
to hearken to my words, and not transgress my law, nor rebel against my servant
Joseph Smith, for thou hast a respect to the words of mine anointed, even from
the least to the greatest of them; therefore”–listen to this–“thy name is
written in heaven, no more to be blotted out for ever.” (Orson F. Whitney, Life
of Heber C. Kimball, Bookcraft, 1975, p. 241; italics added.)
To the Prophet Joseph Smith
the Lord said:
“I am the Lord thy God, and
will be with thee even unto the end of the world, and through all eternity; for
verily I seal upon you your exaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the
kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your father.” (D&C 132:49; italics
added.)
Witness of truths
Now my beloved brethren, by
way of summary and conclusion, I bear witness to the verity of these great
truths. I know that the Spirit of Christ enlighteneth “every man that cometh
into the world; and [that] the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world,
that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.” (D&C 84:46.)
I know that everyone who,
following the whisperings of the Spirit, develops faith, is baptized, and
receives the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands by those having
authority, may, by compliance with the teachings of the gospel, receive the
gifts and the power of the Holy Ghost.
And I bear further witness
that every such person who, having come this far, will follow the Prophet’s
admonition to “continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting
after righteousness, and living by every word of God” (Teachings of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, p. 150), may obtain the more sure word of prophecy.
That the Lord will bless all
of us priesthood bearers that we will so understand these great truths, that in
the end we shall, by making our calling and election sure, enjoy the full light
of Christ, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.
D&C
93:39-45 – The wicked one takes away light and truth form us through
disobedience. We are supposed to bring
up our children in light and truth.
The 1st
Presidency was chastened because they did not raise their children in light and
truth; they were condemned for their lack of teaching in their homes. They needed to get their family in order
there is nothing more important for us to do.
We can become friends with God; He loves us and wants us with Him as a
family, the highest degree in the Celestial kingdom.
Children—Light and Truth
The Lord has commanded Latter-day
Saints to rear their children in light and truth. (D&C 93:40, 49.) There is
none in the Church who is beyond this commandment. Even members of the First
Presidency in 1833 were told they had not kept this commandment. This was said
of President Frederick G. Williams and Sidney Rigdon, counselors to President
Joseph Smith. Unless they were obedient in setting their houses in order Satan
would continue to have power over them. (Ibid., 93:41-44.) Even the
Prophet lacked in this matter also. An important truth was also taught
regarding children.
Your family must needs repent and
forsake some things, and give more earnest heed unto your sayings, or be
removed out of their place. (Ibid., 93:48.)
In other words, responsibility is not
only the parent’s but also the child’s. But the major obligation is with the
parents who are to teach their children principles of righteousness. (Ibid,
68:25-31.) The home evening program in use throughout the Church is one of the
best means by which this commandment can be lived by parents and children. No
other people have the opportunity to rear their children in light and truth as
do the Latter-day Saints. It is also true that no other people are under the
same responsibility as they are. When one considers the truth that the children
who come into a Latter-day Saint family are known to have come from our Father
and that what we do or do not do for them here, determines, in a large measure,
their eternal future, the weight of this responsibility is better appreciated.
Latter-day Saint families are
intended to be eternal. The association of parents and children throughout the
eternities is the desired goal of every faithful member of the Church. Eternal
marriage is the qualifying ordinance, together with keeping the commandments
and obligations received in the House of the Lord. The words of President
Joseph F. Smith are especially pertinent to these thoughts:
We are living for eternity and not
merely for the moment. Death does not part us from one another, if we have
entered into sacred relationships with each other by virtue of the authority
that God has revealed to the children of men. Our relationships are formed for
eternity. We are immortal beings, and we are looking forward to the growth that
is to be attained in an exalted life after we have proved ourselves faithful
and true to the covenants that we have entered into here, and then we shall receive
a fulness of joy. (Gospel Doctrine, 6th edition, pp.
277-278.)
(Roy W.
Doxey, The Doctrine and Covenants Speaks [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
Co., 1964], 2: 202.)
There is no one in the Church who is
exempt from teaching his children the restored gospel. So emphatic is the Lord
concerning this matter, that, in 1833 he rebuked the members of the First
Presidency composed of Joseph Smith, Frederick G. Williams, and Sidney Rigdon,
because of their failure to comply completely with this admonition. (D&C
93:43D&C 93:40-48.)
In addition to the need, perhaps this
rebuke by the Lord was to be an object lesson for all members of the Church
relative to their own responsibilities. There comes a time, however, as
indicated concerning the Prophet in verse 48 of Section 93, when the members of
a family stand condemned, if they do not give heed to the righteous teachings
of the parents.
(Roy W.
Doxey, The Doctrine and Covenants Speaks [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
Co., 1964], 1: 121.)
(Doctrine and Covenants 93:49.)
49
What I say unto one I say unto all; pray always lest that wicked one have power
in you, and remove you out of your place.
D&C
93:49 – Prayer literally connects you to the power source (God). We pray to understand the will of God, pray
in faith, “thy will be done”
With sin we
need to do more then confess to the Bishop, we need to convince Christ to take
on our sins.
What gives
keys power is our faith – God will never override our agency.
As Bishop at the
college, Bruce gives the confessor the following to do: On the website
- 3 talks on Faith
- President Marion G. Romney –
“Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ”
- Elder Dallin H. Oaks – “Faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ”
- Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin –
“Shall He Find Faith on the Earth”
Absolute
confidence in things we cannot see
Combined
with action, that is in
Absolute
conformity to the will of God
Then we
qualify for the Gift of the Holy Ghost
- Bishop prays to the Lord to
find out what action should take place, the sinner’s faith must exist in
order for the answer to come.
We plug
into the power source by faith, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Then he gives them 4 articles
on Repentance
- President Spencer W. Kimball –
“ What is True Repentance”
- President Marion G. Romney –
Place of Repentance in the Plan of Salvation”
- Elder Neal A. Maxwell –
“Repentance”
- Elder Theodore M. Burton –
“The Meaning of Repentance” (Excellent overview)
(Ether 3:9-11.)
9 And the Lord said unto
him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and
blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast;
for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than
this?
10 And he answered: Nay;
Lord, show thyself unto me.
11 And the Lord said unto
him: Believest thou the words which I
shall speak?
The faith
of the brother of Jared, he would do whatever was asked of him.
D&C 94 – The Lord told the saints to build
a temple for the School of the Prophets.
D&C 88:119 D&C 94:3 D&C
94:10
Kirtland
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Administration
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Printing
1.
A conference of high priests assembled April 30, 1833, in the school
room in Kirtland and took steps to raise means to pay the rent for the house
where their meetings had been held during the past season. John P. Green was
appointed to take charge of a branch of the Church in
2. The second lot south of this
building was to be dedicated for the building of another house where the
printing for the Church could be done and the translation of the Scriptures, on
which the Prophet had been working off and on for many months, could be
published. This building likewise to be fifty-five by sixty-five feet, with a
lower and an upper court. This house also was to be dedicated to the service of
the Lord, and set apart for the printing, “in all things whatsoever I shall
command you, to be holy, undefiled according to the pattern in all things, as
it shall be given unto you.” The third lot was to be given to Hyrum Smith for
his inheritance. Reynolds Cahoon and Jared Carter were also to receive inheritances,
“that they may do the work which I have appointed unto them, to be committed to
build mine houses, according to the commandment, which I, the Lord God have
given unto you.” These two houses, although the Lord approved these plans, he
further said were not to be built until he should give the commandment for the
building of them.
The committee according to their
appointment issued a circular and sent it forth among the members of the Church
in the different branches asking that they bring about the fulfillment of the
command of the Lord concerning the establishing, or the preparation of a house,
“wherein the elders, who have been commanded of the Lord so to do, may gather
themselves together, and prepare all things, and call a solemn assembly, and treasure
up words of wisdom, that they may go forth to the Gentiles for the last time. “This
appeal went forth to the whole Church. It was a strong appeal and in their
pleading they said: “And unless we fulfill this command, viz.: establish an
house, and prepare all things necessary that the elders may gather into a
school, called the School of the Prophets, and receive the instruction which
the Lord designs they should receive, we may despair of obtaining the great
blessing that God had promised to the faithful of the Church of Christ;
therefore it is as important, as our salvation, that we obey this
above-mentioned command, as well as all the commandments of the Lord.” They
then called attention to their appointment to superintend the business in
building this house for the elders so they could attend this school. They
appealed to the branches that someone in each branch be appointed to obtain
subscriptions and thus help the general committee. This appeal was issued June
1, 1833.
3. The same day the Lord gave another revelation (Sec. 95.) in which he
rebuked the elders of the Church for their delay in building another house
which they had been commanded to build. This was the Kirtland Temple. “For
ye have sinned against me a very grievous sin, in that ye have not considered
the great commandment in all things that I have given unto you concerning the
building of mine house. This house was to be prepared for the apostles in which
they might be endowed to prune the vineyard “for the last time that I may bring
to pass my strange act that I may pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” The Lord
said that there had been many ordained to go forth and do his will, but few of
them are chosen, and the reason why they were not chosen was that they had
sinned a very grievous sin, in that they are walking in darkness at noonday. “And
for this cause I gave unto you a commandment that you should call your solemn assembly
that your fastings and your mourning might come up into the ears of the Lord of
Sabaoth, which is by interpretation, the Creator of the first day, the
beginning and the end. Yea, Verily I say unto you, I gave unto you a
commandment, that you should build a house, in the which house I design to
endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high; for this is the promise
of the Father unto you, therefore I command you to tarry, even as mine apostles
in Jerusalem. Nevertheless my servants sinned a very grievous sin, and
contentions arose in the School of the Prophets, which were very grievous unto
me, saith your Lord; therefore I sent them forth to be chastened.”
4. It was Dec. 27, 1832, that the
Lord gave the command to the Church that his house should be built, in which he
said: “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house,
even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of
learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.” (Sec. 88:119.)
The elders of the Church it would appear, had not taken this command seriously,
presumably it had been overlooked in the consideration of so many wonderful
things in that particular revelation. The month of May, in the following year,
had arrived; the officers of the Church had met in solemn council to consider
other matters, the building of other houses for which there was sore need, and
the building of the more weighty and important building had been neglected.
While the Lord approved the plan for the building of these other houses, and
commended the brethren for their enthusiasm and energy in taking steps to erect
them, yet he called attention to the grievous sins of the brethren in their
neglect to build the more important structure. The
5. At the time of which we are now
speaking, we have discovered that the anger of the Lord is kindled against the
brethren for neglect of their most important duty, and now the Lord says: “Verily
I say unto you, it is my will that you should build a house. If you keep my
commandments you shall have power to build it. If you keep not my commandments,
the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in
darkness.” (Vs. 11-12.)
6. This house was not to be built
after the manner of the world, but after the manner which the Lord would show
them. The saints also were not to live after the manner of the world. This
building also was to be fifty-five by sixty-five feet in the inner court as the
Lord had instructed in the buildings previously mentioned. The lower part of
the inner court of this
7. Two days after this revelation was
given the brethren again assembled to see how to dispose of property, or to
carry out the provisions of the commandment. They also considered the matter of
dividing lots according to wisdom (D. & C. 96.) and the Lord gave them
counsel in relation to these matters. The Stake of Zion was to become strong.
The poor were to be cared for. The bishop, Newel K. Whitney, was to take charge
of the matter of assigning lots and preparing them for the building of a city
and a
8. Four days after the Lord had
rebuked the brethren for their neglect, without waiting for subscriptions, the
brethren went to work on the
9. “If the strict order of the
Priesthood were carried out in the building of temples, the first stone would
be laid at the southeast corner, by the First Presidency of the Church. The
southwest corner should be laid next; the third, or northwest corner next; and
the fourth, or northeast corner last. The First Presidency should lay the
southeast corner stone and dictate who are the proper persons to lay the other
corner stones.
“If a temple is built at a distance,
and the First Presidency are not present, then the quorum of the Twelve
Apostles are the persons to dictate the order for that temple; and in the
absence of the Twelve Apostles, then the presidency of the stake will lay the
southeast corner stone; the Melchizedek Priesthood laying the corner stones on
the east side of the temple, and the Lesser Priesthood those on the west side.”—“Essentials
in Church History,” pp. 309-310.
10. While these matters were being
considered in relation to the building of
(Joseph
Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 4 vols. [Salt Lake
City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1946-1949], 2: 164 –
165.)
D&C 95 – The saints were chastened for not
building the
“Messenger
and Advocate” was printed here, the printing office was built 1st.
Joseph Fielding Smith: Introduction
The committee [Section 94,
Introduction], according to their appointment, issued a circular and sent it
forth among the members of the Church in the different branches of the Church
asking that they bring about the fulfillment of the command of the Lord
concerning the establishing, or the preparation of a house, “wherein the
elders, who have been commanded of the Lord so to do, may gather themselves
together, and prepare all things, and call a solemn assembly, and treasure up
words of wisdom, that they may go forth to the Gentiles for the last time.”
This appeal went forth to the whole Church. It was a strong appeal and in their
pleading they said: “And unless we fulfil this command, viz.: establish an
house, and prepare all things necessary that the elders may gather into a
school called the School of the Prophets, and receive the instruction which the
Lord desires they should receive, we may despair of obtaining the great
blessing that God has promised to the faithful of the Church of Christ;
therefore it is important, as our salvation, that we obey this above-mentioned
command as well as all the commandments of the Lord.” They then called
attention to their appointment to superintend the business in building this
house for the elders so they could attend this school. They appealed to the
branches that someone in each branch be appointed to obtain subscriptions and
thus help the general committee. This appeal was issued June 1, 1833. (CHMR,
1948, 2:165-66.)
Joseph Fielding Smith: 1-10
The same day, [June 1, 1833] the Lord
gave another revelation (Sec. 95) in which he rebuked the elders of the Church
for their delay in building another house which they had been commanded to
build. This was the
It was Dec. 27, 1832, that the Lord
gave the command to the Church that his house should be built, in which he
said: “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house,
even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of
learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.” (Sec. 88:119.) The elders of the Church it would appear,
had not taken this command seriously, presumably it had been overlooked in the
consideration of so many wonderful things in that particular revelation. The
month of May, in the following year, had arrived; the officers of the Church
had met in solemn council to consider other matters, the building of other
houses for which there was sore need, and the building of the more weighty and
important buildings had been neglected. While the Lord approved the plan for
the building of these other houses, and commended the brethren for their
enthusiasm and energy in taking steps to erect them, yet he called attention to
the grievous sins of the brethren in their neglect to build the more important structure.
The
Brigham Young: 2
Ye must needs be chastened
At times I may to many of the
brethren appear to be severe. I sometimes chasten them; but it is because I
wish them to so live that the power of God, like a flame of fire, will dwell
within them and be round about them. These are my feelings and desires. (JD,
May 20, 1860, 8:62.)
Joseph Fielding Smith: 11-17
At the time of which we are now
speaking, we have discovered that the anger of the Lord is kindled against the
brethren for neglect of their most important duty, and now the Lord says: [Sec.
95:11-12, quoted.]
This house was not to be built after
the manner of the world, but after the manner which the Lord would show them.
The saints also were not to live after the manner of the world. This building
also was to be fifty-five by sixty-five feet in the inner court as the Lord had
instructed in the buildings previously mentioned. [Sec. 94:4, 11.] The lower
part of the inner court of this
Orson Pratt: 11-17
When the Lord commanded this people
to build a house in the land of Kirtland, in the early rise of this church, he
gave them the pattern by vision from heaven, and commanded them to build that
house according to that pattern and order; to have the architecture, not in
accordance with architecture devised by men, but to have everything constructed
in that house according to the heavenly pattern that he by his voice had
inspired to his servants. When this was complied with did the Lord accept that house?
Yes! They having complied with the order and built the house according to the
pattern, the Lord condescended to grace that house with His presence. In that
house the veil was taken away from the eyes of many of the servants of God and
they beheld his glory. In that house the Lord Jesus Christ was seen by some of
the Elders of the Church in heavenly vision standing upon the threshold of the
pulpit proclaiming himself to be Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, The
Great I Am, etc. [Sec. 110:1-10.] And he gave keys of instruction and counsel
and authority to his servants, declaring unto them that he accepted that house
at their hands, and inasmuch as they had been faithful in the performance of
their duty in building a temple to His name, He blessed them therein. He also
proclaimed unto them that from that house His servants should go forth armed
with the power of his priesthood, and proclaim the Gospel among the various
nations, and that many people should come from the uttermost parts of the earth
and praise the name of the Lord in
(Roy W.
Doxey, comp., Latter-day Prophets and the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1978], 3: 301.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
38:32.) – D&C 95:4, 8-9 the need for the
32
Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to
the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed
with power from on high;
Endowment
The word endow means “to
furnish, provide, equip, or give.” In a general sense the word endowment could
refer to the act or the process of endowing or to the thing that is being endowed
(given). Among Latter-day Saints the word endowment has special meaning,
as it refers to a special gift of knowledge or understanding of the eternal
purposes of life that is given in the temple. As indicated in some of the
following quotations, the “endowment” received by the Saints in the
Selected Quotations
“As early as January, 1831, the Lord
said he had called the members of the Church out of
“In Kirtland, November 12, 1835, in a
council meeting with the apostles, the Prophet said: ‘You need an endowment,
brethren, in order that you may be prepared and able to overcome all things;
and those that reject your testimony will be damned.’ (HC 2:309.)
January 20, 1836, a council meeting was held in the
“The endowment promised and received
in the Kirtland Temple was not the same as today’s temple endowment ceremony,
though priesthood members did participate in a ‘partial endowment, the full
ordinance being reserved for a future performance when a temple designed for
ordinance work itself should be built [at Nauvoo].’” (Bruce R. McConkie, Ensign,
August 1976, p. 10.)
“The first complete endowments in
this dispensation were given in Nauvoo, May 4, 1842. These, of course, could
not be given in the temple, and were given elsewhere. In the time of poverty
and when necessity requires the giving of blessings which belong to the House
of the Lord, and there is no such house, they may be given in the wilderness,
on a mountain or some other spot, consecrated to that purpose. The Savior had
to give an endowment to Peter, James and John, on the Mount of Transfiguration.
The saints of that dispensation had to be baptized for the dead and give other ordinances
for the dead in the wilderness, for the temple in Jerusalem was closed to them
and had been desecrated, therefore the wilderness, mountain tops and rivers,
had to be utilized for the temple work for their dead in that dispensation.”
(Joseph Fielding Smith, CHMR 2:333.)
Scriptural References:
D&C 38:32D&C 38:32, 38;
43:16; 95:8; 105:11-12, 18, 33; 110:9; 124:39; 132:59.
(Daniel H.
Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the New Testament: The Four Gospels
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 78.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
95:11-14.)
11 Verily I say unto you,
it is my will that you should build a house. If you keep my commandments you
shall have power to build it.
12 If you keep not my
commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you
shall walk in darkness.
13 Now here is wisdom, and
the mind of the Lord—let the house be built, not after the manner of the world,
for I give not unto you that ye shall live after the manner of the world;
14 Therefore, let it be built
after the manner which I shall show unto three of you, whom ye shall appoint
and ordain unto this power.
The Lord
can’t endow with power from on high until His people show their faith. Start the temple and God will provide the
means to accomplish it. Keep the
commandments and you will have power to build it.
If you
don’t keep the commandments you won’t have the love of the Father and you will
walk in darkness.
An example
of verse 13 – the windows inside the chapel are all the way around it, while
looking from the outside it seems normal, it is different then the manner of
the world. Verse 17, top floor was set
aside for the School of the Prophets.
D&C 97 – A revelation given to Joseph
while in Kirtland concerning the Saints in
(Doctrine and Covenants
97:1-7.)
Verily I say unto you my
friends, I speak unto you with my voice, even the voice of my Spirit, that I
may show unto you my will concerning your brethren in the
2 Verily, verily I say
unto you, blessed are such, for they shall obtain; for I, the Lord, show mercy
unto all the meek, and upon all whomsoever I will, that I may be justified when
I shall bring them unto judgment.
3 Behold, I say unto you,
concerning the school in Zion, I, the Lord, am well pleased that there should
be a school in Zion, and also with my servant Parley P. Pratt, for he abideth
in me.
4 And inasmuch as he
continueth to abide in me he shall continue to preside over the school in the
5 And I will bless him
with a multiplicity of blessings, in expounding all scriptures and mysteries to
the edification of the school, and of the church in
6 And to the residue of
the school, I, the Lord, am willing to show mercy; nevertheless, there are
those that must needs be chastened, and their works shall be made known.
7 The ax is laid at the
root of the trees; and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be
hewn down and cast into the fire. I, the Lord, have spoken it.
The School
of the Prophets in
D&C
97:8-9 – The order of verse 8 reminds us of the Garden of Eden and the
instructions to Adam and Eve, it is temple talk.
Honest – Broken Heart – Contrite – Observe
Covenants by Sacrifice – Keep every commandment from God
(Doctrine and Covenants
97:12-14.) – Purposes of
12 Behold, this is the
tithing and the sacrifice which I, the Lord, require at their hands, that there
may be a house built unto me for the salvation of
13 For a place of thanksgiving
for all saints, and for a place of instruction for all those who are called to
the work of the ministry in all their several callings and offices;
14 That they may be
perfected in the understanding of their ministry, in theory, in principle, and
in doctrine, in all things pertaining to the kingdom of God on the earth, the
keys of which kingdom have been conferred upon you.
Purpose of
- Salvation of
- Place of Thanksgiving –
Gratitude, increase your vision
- Place of Instruction – Teach Plan
of Salvation, help us reach our full potential
The Saints
become perfected in understanding theory, doctrine, and principles pertaining
to the
(Doctrine and Covenants
97:16.) – God will come to His house
16
Yea, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure
in heart that shall come into it shall see God.
The pure in
heart (proper motive) can come to the temple and see God. Pray in faith with proper motive, meaning,
pray for the
The wicked
focus on themselves instead of focusing on the kingdom, who shall escape God’s
vengeance on the wicked?
(Doctrine and Covenants
97:25-27.) – Sin no more and be obedient to do God’s will
25 Nevertheless,
26 But if she observe not
to do whatsoever I have commanded her, I will visit her according to all her
works, with sore affliction, with pestilence, with plague, with sword, with
vengeance, with devouring fire.
27 Nevertheless, let it be
read this once to her ears, that I, the Lord, have accepted of her offering;
and if she sin no more none of these things shall come upon her;
D&C 101 – The Rest of the Story!
Counsel to the Exiles
(D&C 97-101)
ROBERT A. CLOWARD
In the revelations of the latter
months of 1833 we find a most poignant portrayal of the relationship of the
Lord to his people. In those times of their extreme need, the veils of
formality and habit that too often separate God's people from him were parted.
They cried out to him as humbled children. In the urgency of their need, they
sought his hiding place. They searched their souls to purge out what might have
offended him. They yearned for his response.
He heard their cries, and as an
Exalted Father, he answered. This was a teaching moment, and if we are attuned
to the Spirit that attends these revelations, we too can learn the lessons of
Historical Background
The joy of the Saints at learning the
revealed location of the
On 20 July 1833 a mob destroyed the
printing establishment of William W. Phelps, and three days later Church
leaders were forced to sign a pledge that they and the other members of the
Church would leave
The Saints' Questions
It is not difficult to imagine the
kinds of questions that filled the hearts of the Saints as they faced the
reality of their exile. This was an Abrahamic test—a test of incongruence,
designed to try the foundations of their conviction. Undoubtedly they asked
even the most basic questions: "Art thou there?" "Hast thou
heard our prayers?" "Hast thou rejected us?" And if they were
still found acceptable to the Lord, the flood of questions would continue:
"Why have we been forced out of the designated gathering place?"
"Is this persecution necessary?" "Will
The Lord's Answers
Be Still
The Lord gave merciful answers. In
one forceful phrase, he assured them of his concern for their plight: "Be
still and know that I am God" (D&C 101:16). This command, the first
person climax of Psalm 46, invoked the entire psalm, applicable in every way to
their situation: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble" (Ps. 46:1). fn
My People Must Be Tried in All Things
The opening verses of sections 97,
98, and 101 further defined the Saints' standing before the Lord. In section
101, for example, he assured them that they were not rejected, but he clarified
his personal role in their affliction: "I, the Lord, have suffered
the affliction to come upon them, wherewith they have been afflicted, in
consequence of their transgressions; Yet I will own them, and they shall be
mine in that day when I shall come to make up my jewels" (vv. 2-3, italics
added). In an earlier revelation, the blessing of being among the chosen jewels
of God was specified as belonging to those who did not incur his anger by
failing to be faithful (D&C 60:2-4). It must have been reassuring to the
exiles that despite their failings they were not rejected as his chosen people.
The Lord made abundantly clear, however, why he had allowed them to be
persecuted. They had polluted their inheritances with "jarrings, and
contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among
them. . . . They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God. . .
." And, he added, "In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my
counsel" (D&C 101:6-8).
The Lord was careful to emphasize his
approval of righteous individuals. He was pleased with the humble truth seekers
and with the meek (D&C 97:1-2). He was "well pleased" with Parley
P. Pratt, who with diligence and personal sacrifice had been directing a school
of elders. fn Those who were honest and contrite and willing to observe their
covenants by sacrifice were accepted of the Lord (D&C 97:8). Nevertheless,
the Missouri Saints as a whole were not a people worthy of
While Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon
were on a mission in
I cannot learn from any communication
by the Spirit to me, that Zion has forfeited her claim to a celestial crown,
notwithstanding the Lord has caused her to be thus afflicted, except it may be
some individuals, who have walked in disobedience, and forsaken the new
covenant; all such will be made manifest by their works in due time. I have
always expected that
Section 101, dated six days after
this letter, answered another significant question. "
A sixth recourse was foreshadowed in
the Lord's parable concerning
Forgive Others, That Your Father May Forgive You
The
In several revelations the exiles
were taught that concern for their physical well-being was secondary and that
death for the Lord's cause brought the promise of life eternal: "Be not
afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I
will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto
death, that you may be found worthy. For if ye will not abide in my covenant ye
are not worthy of me" (D&C 98:14-15; cf. 98:18 and 101:15, 35-38).
The House of the Lord in
The question of the building of the
temple in
Conditions of the Heart
During the
The Lord expressed his approval for
those in
In the stark face of persecution,
loss of property, and even the threat of death, the Lord counseled the Saints
to have hope: "Fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not
full, but in me your joy is full" (D&C 101:36). What godly
perspective, compared to the reactions of the natural man! Neither anger nor
self-pity were acceptable responses to the Lord's chastening. He was teaching
his people to center their focus on him, not on their difficulties.
Learning About God
The universal worth of the Doctrine
and Covenants flows from the breadth of the Lord's perspective.
Nineteenth-century events brought revelations of principle that retain significance
far beyond their time. In his revelations, the Lord seemed to urge his people
to look past the concern of the moment and learn the bigger lesson. For
example, when the concern of the moment was a confrontation with lawlessness
and mobocracy, the Lord taught in section 98 the value of electing honest and
wise men to public office (vv. 9-10), the need for upholding and befriending
the constitutional law of the land (vv. 4-7), and the need not just to proclaim
peace in Missouri, but to "seek diligently to turn the hearts of the
children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children; And
again, the hearts of the Jews unto the prophets, and the prophets unto the
Jews; lest I come and smite the whole earth with a curse, and all flesh be
consumed before me" (vv. 16-17). The Second Coming was repeatedly stressed
by the Lord as the time of ultimate vengeance on the lawless and of reward for
those who had suffered persecution and endured in faith (D&C 97:13-17;
101:23-35).
When the concern of the moment was
the building of a temple that would not appear during the lifetime of any of
the nineteenth-century Saints, the Lord taught the importance of all such holy
places. Temples, he said, are places of thanksgiving, of instruction for those
called to the ministry, and places suited for perfecting the Saints in their
understanding of theory, principle, and doctrine pertaining to the kingdom of
God on the earth (D&C 97:13-14). Furthermore, temples are places where his
glory rests, where his presence dwells, and where the pure in heart that come
may see him (D&C 97:15-16). The principle of guarding temples against being
defiled by unclean things, lest the Lord's presence withdraw (D&C
97:15-17), is so significant that in our day it is to be discussed in every
temple recommend interview.
After detailing the reasons for which
he had suffered affliction to come upon the Saints in
We do well to reassess constantly our
standing before the Lord. If we are presumptuously arrogant about our
chosenness or our righteousness, we may find his reminder of our real status
surprisingly stern. Should we not be grateful that, as Alma taught his wayward
son Corianton, "there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a
probationary time, a time to repent and serve God" (Alma 42:4)?
To Those Who Return
In a much earlier dispensation, a
people was rejected by the Lord as unworthy and unprepared to inherit a
promised land. They were left to spend forty years in the wilderness. During
that time they felt his wrath; they also experienced his love. They were
exiles, yet the day came when he judged their children to be an acceptable
generation, and through their prophet he gave them instructions to inherit the
promised land.
In the due time of the Lord, a
latter-day generation will be judged acceptable to establish the center place
of
All the commandments which I command
thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in
and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.
And thou shalt remember all the way
which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee,
and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep
his commandments, or no.
And he humbled thee, and suffered
thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did
thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread
only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man
live.
Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee,
neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
Thou shalt also consider in thine
heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.
Therefore thou shalt keep the
commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
For the Lord thy God bringeth thee
into a good land (Deut. 8:1-7).
Notes Counsel to the Exiles
1. HC 1:319.
2. See Monte S. Nyman, "The
Redemption of Zion," found herein.
3. A reading of the whole psalm is
instructive. The Savior similarly invoked an entire psalm with a phrase when he
exclaimed on the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
See Matt. 27:46 and Ps. 22.
4. See Parley P. Pratt, Autobiography
of Parley Parker Pratt (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938), pp. 93-94.
5. HC 1:453-54.
6. See Richard D. Draper,
"Maturing Toward the Millennium," found herein.
7. The Lord did not resolve this
issue for his Saints until five years later in connection with a revelation on
the
8. Autobiography, p. 96.
9. Alexander Majors, son of a
Missouri mobster reported: "There is nothing in the county records to show
that a Mormon was ever charged with any misdemeanor in the way of violation of
the laws," Alexander Majors, Seventy Years on the Frontier (Chicago
and New York: Rand, McNally, and Co., 1893), pp. 49-50, cited in Ivan J.
Barrett, Joseph Smith and the Restoration (Provo, Ut.: Brigham Young
University Press, 1973), p. 240.
(Robert L.
Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine
and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 379.)
D&C
109
The first temple erected in this
dispensation was at
KEYS AND ENDOWMENTS PROMISED SAINTS. It was further stated in the
revelations that the Lord had keys and endowments to bestow upon his elders
requiring the building of such a house. In December, 1830, the Lord gave
commandment that the saints move their headquarters from the state of
The Lord said in a subsequent
revelation given in January, 1831: Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you
the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you
my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high; And from
thence, whosoever I will shall go forth among all nations, and it shall be told
them what they shall do; for I have a great work laid up in store, for Israel
shall be saved, and I will lead them whithersoever I will, and no power shall
stay my hand.”fn
SAINTS COMMANDED TO
The Lord also said: “And ye shall not
suffer any unclean thing to come into it; and my glory shall be there, and my
presence shall be there. But if there shall come into it any unclean thing, my
glory shall not be there; and my presence shall not come into it.”
June 1, 1833, the Lord rebuked the
saints for inactivity. The necessity for such a building was urgent and the
Lord said: “For ye have sinned against me a very grievous sin, in that ye have
not considered the great commandment in all things, that I have given unto you
concerning the building of mine house.” And again he endeavored to impress upon
the Church the necessity for such a building, for in it were to be given keys, “For
the preparation wherewith I design to prepare mine apostles to prune my
vineyard for the last time, that I may bring to pass my strange act, that I may
pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.”fn
SAINTS BUILT
June 5, 1833, George A. Smith hauled
the first load of stone for the temple, and Hyrum Smith and Reynolds Cahoon
commenced digging the trench for the walls and finished the same with their own
hands. July 23, 1833, the same day that the saints were murderously driven from
their homes in
Be it remembered that the saints were
at that time few in number and very poor, yet they were called upon to make
almost super human efforts to erect a building to the name of the Lord, which
was worthy of his name. In due course of time, the edifice was completed. The
time for the dedication was set for the 27th day of March, 1836.
The dimensions of the temple were 80
by 59 feet and the walls 50 feet high. There was a tower 110 feet. The two main
halls, “the lower and the upper courts,” were in keeping with the dimensions
given in the revelation. The building had four vestries in front, and five
rooms in the attic, which were used for school purposes and for the quorums of
the priesthood.
At each end of the main auditorium
there were four rows of pulpits one above another. At the east end the pulpits
were for the Melchizedek Priesthood and at the west for the Aaronic. It was so
constructed that veils or curtains could be lowered, thus dividing the
auditorium into four compartments or rooms for special and separate services.
PENTECOSTAL MANIFESTATIONS IN
While the temple at Kirtland was in
course of construction and as soon as provisions would allow, sections of the
building were used for class instruction and for other purposes. Ordinances
were revealed, and important revelations pertaining to the restoration were
given, before the temple was dedicated.
It was in December of 1833, that the
patriarchal priesthood was revealed, and Joseph Smith, Senior, was ordained as
the first patriarch in the Church. On this occasion the Prophet Joseph Smith
said: “Blessed of the Lord is my father, . . . and blessed, also, is my mother,
. . . and blessed, also, are my brothers and sisters, for they shall yet find
redemption in the house of the Lord, and their offsprings shall be a blessing,
a joy, and a comfort to them.”fn
This blessing, given by the Prophet
to members of his father’s family, was indicative of the blessings which were
in store for all who should receive covenants and obligations to salvation in
this house of the Lord.
NATURE OF ENDOWMENT IN
The greater manifestations and
endowment came, however, after the dedication of the temple. At that time all
the elders who were out preaching the gospel were ordered to come to Kirtland
to receive their endowment. The Lord said in June, 1834: “Verily I say unto
you, it is expedient in me that the first elders of my church should receive
their endowment from on high in my house, which I have commanded to be built
unto my name in the
This prophetic utterance about the
elders obtaining an endowment in the temple at Kirtland is of double meaning.
First, there were to come from on high essential blessings for the saints,
which up to that time had not been revealed. Second, the elders were to receive
greater powers that they might be better qualified to teach. It was made known
by many manifestations of divine power at the dedication that the temple had
been accepted as the house of the Lord.
PURPOSE OF
In the
The
POLLUTION OF
Though its day as a sacred and holy
house of God was short, yet that day was glorious while it lasted. In it the
Savior appeared and the keys of dispensations were revealed, in preparation for
the complete salvation and exaltation of all who will receive the truth.fn
Today that temple stands in the place
of an ordinary meetinghouse and in the hands of those who know little, if
anything, of the sacred ordinances for which temples are built.fn
It is not a sacred temple today-not
by any means. It is no more a temple than an adobe building, and is not
recognized by the Lord any more. It filled the measure of its creation, then
fell into the hands of wicked men, and the Lord ceased to consider that
building as a house built unto his name, and in the 124th section of
the Doctrine and Covenants he says so.fn
(Joseph
Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols., edited by Bruce R.
McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1956], 2: 257.)
Joseph
Smith had begun introducing parts of the endowment before this time March, 27,
1836.
April 3,
1836 – D&C 110 was given after Sacrament meeting.
Oliver
Cowdery was a 2nd witness to these visions and the keys received, he
was not a member of the 1st Presidency or a member of the Quorum of
the 12, and the 12 were struggling at this time, personal apostasy in its
ranks.
Dedicatory
prayer for the
1 Kings 8:22-54.
Solomon
mentions there is no other God that makes covenants with his people and keeps
them.
God would
have one of David’s descendants carry on after him.
God is the
God of the entire universe.
This temple
is a house of prayer unto God. Solomon
prayer seeks the Lord’s forgiveness, when
Solomon prayed
with his hands spread forth, signifying clean hands and a pure heart.
Coming back
to the temple to become reconciled with God, Critical for our salvation
D&C 109
This prayer
came to Joseph through revelation and inspiration after much preparation and
study.
(Doctrine and Covenants
50:29-30.)
29 And if ye are purified
and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of
Jesus and it shall be done.
30 But know this, it shall
be given you what you shall ask; and as ye are appointed to the head, the
spirits shall be subject unto you.
(Doctrine and Covenants
109:1-5.) – God makes and keeps covenants with His people
1 Thanks be to thy name, O
Lord God of
2 Thou who hast commanded
thy servants to build a house to thy name in this place [Kirtland].
3 And now thou beholdest,
O Lord, that thy servants have done according to thy commandment.
4 And now we ask thee,
Holy Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of thy bosom, in whose name
alone salvation can be administered to the children of men, we ask thee, O
Lord, to accept of this house, the workmanship of the hands of us, thy
servants, which thou didst command us to build.
5 For thou knowest that we
have done this work through great tribulation; and out of our poverty we have
given of our substance to build a house to thy name, that the Son of Man might
have a place to manifest himself to his people.
Church
Handbook of Instruction – Dedicating Homes, importance of this in our homes.
3 Different
ways:
- Unique interior design
- 3 levels without a central
meeting room
- Windows are all the way around,
especially right behind the altar
(Doctrine and Covenants
109:15.)
15
And that they may grow up in thee, and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost, and
be organized according to thy laws, and be prepared to obtain every needful
thing;
There is a
need to attend the temple, temples are for us to grow up in God, ward meeting
house helps us prepare for the temple and receive the fulness of the Holy
Ghost.
Participating
in the temple helps control our thoughts, it is a house of learning and
spirituality to work on the inner man.
1-3 – Our
relationship with God and the Church
Next
concerns our relationship with Church leaders and our conduct with ourselves
and others.
(Doctrine and Covenants
109:20.)
20
And that no unclean thing shall be permitted to come into thy house to pollute
it;
We are
working on perfection and not committing sins unto spiritual death, answer all
of the temple questions, if not then we are unclean.
- Relationship with God, Church,
and Priesthood leaders
- Conduct
- Relationship with the
Worthiness
means you are trying to become perfect, the temple helps in this perfection.
Church =
High School
College =
Graduation
= Becoming like
God
It isn’t enough to simply
be with God
(Doctrine and Covenants
109:21-22.)
21 And when thy people
transgress, any of them, they may speedily repent and return unto thee, and
find favor in thy sight, and be restored to the blessings which thou hast
ordained to be poured out upon those who shall reverence thee in thy house.
22 And we ask thee, Holy
Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power,
and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and
thine angels have charge over them;
“SPEEDILY REPENT”
At all costs, we must not be
apathetic to the temple or treat our covenants lightly. If we are now unworthy,
we must not let years go by before we return. The Lord knew that some people
would fail to maintain their temple worthiness through the temptations and
weaknesses of human nature. But we are not so much condemned for our mistakes
and sins as we are for our failure to cease doing them. In terms of temple
covenants, the condemnation comes for not correcting our faults so that we can
return to the temple. Worthiness and the desire to return to the temple are
often the best signs we have that our repentance has been complete and is
accepted by the Lord. Then we must forgive ourselves, continue with our lives,
and remain temple worthy.
Even the dedicatory prayer of the
(S. Michael
Wilcox, House of Glory: Finding Personal Meaning in the Temple [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1995], 79.)
Rudger Clawson: 21
D&C 109 21When thy people
transgress . . . they may speedily repent
Consider, for a moment, the great law
of repentance. It is binding upon this Church. We must consider it and meet its
requirements. It must have an influence in our daily lives. God has said that
He cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. [Sec. 1:31.] Hear
it, O Israel! It cannot be condoned, it cannot be excused, it cannot be winked
at, because confronting sin is this great and eternal law of repentance. If we
will have absolution, if we will have forgiveness of sin, we must submit to the
law and repent. I say—no, I do not say it—it is declared in the Gospel which we
have received, that no man or woman can be saved in the
(Roy W.
Doxey, comp., Latter-day Prophets and the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1978], 4: 80.)
John A. Widtsoe: 22
D&C 109 22Thine angels have
charge over them
Undoubtedly angels often guard us
from accidents and harm, from temptation and sin. They may properly be spoken
of as guardian angels. Many people have borne and may bear testimony to the
guidance and protection that they have received from sources beyond their
natural vision. Without the help that we receive from the constant presence of
the Holy Spirit, and from possibly holy angels, the difficulties of life would
be greatly multiplied.
The common belief, however, that to
every person born into the world is assigned a guardian angel to be with that
person constantly, is not supported by available evidence. It is a very
comforting thought, but at present without proof of its correctness. An angel
may be a guardian angel though he comes only as assigned to give us special
help. In fact, the constant presence of the Holy Spirit would seem to make such
a constant, angelic companionship unnecessary.
So, until further knowledge is
obtained, we may say that angels may be sent to guard us according to our need;
but we cannot say with certainty. (Gospel Interpretations, 1947, pp.
28-29.)
(Roy W.
Doxey, comp., Latter-day Prophets and the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1978], 4: 81.)
D&C
109:54-59 – Ask for God’s mercy on the nations of the world,
The purpose
of the church is to gather
D&C
133:4, 9 –
D&C
110, 121, 124, and 132
D&C 110
Elijah – Calling
and Election made sure, (there is an ordinance attached with this), sealing
power to a higher level, an eternal sealing
Elias –
Marriage ordinance, (Baptism, Holy Ghost, Washing and Anointing, Endowment,
Marriage)
Moses –
Gathering of the House of
Messiah –
The 2nd Comforter
Elias
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Elijah
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Messiah
Ordinances
for Everlasting Covenant
Calling & Election 2nd
Comforter
The Prophet has explained in his
teachings the differences in the missions of Elias, Elijah, and Messiah.
The spirit of Elias is first, Elijah
second, and Messiah last. Elias is a forerunner to prepare the way, and the
spirit and power of Elijah is to come after, holding the keys of power,
building the
Messiah is above the spirit and power
of Elijah, for He made the world, and was that spiritual rock unto Moses in the
wilderness. . . . (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 340
(Joseph
Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 5 vols. [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1957-1966], 4: 194.)
All three of these offices—Elias,
Elijah, and Messiah—were represented in the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836,
when keys pertaining to these three priesthoods were restored to Joseph Smith.
(D&C 110.) Messiah personifies the Melchizedek Priesthood, Elijah the
patriarchal priesthood and Elias the Aaronic Priesthood. And yet each of these
individuals is a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Their positions
differ in the authority of the keys they restored. Elijah himself, be it noted,
held the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood also, but as with all presidents of
the Church, it was under the power and direction of Messiah or Jesus Christ.
(John A.
Tvedtnes, The Church of the Old Testament [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
Co., 1980], 35.)
The Restoration of Keys
Joseph Smith received both the
Aaronic and the Melchizedek Priesthoods some months before the Church was
organized. With those priesthoods, he also received the keys—the right
to preside in them and to pass them on to others. But those were not the only
keys the Prophet would receive. In due time, the Restoration brought back to
earth other keys, which empowered him and his successors to carry on specific
priesthood responsibilities.
In December 1830, only eight months
after the organization of the Church, the Lord instructed his Saints in
The endowment “with power from on
high” began to come a few years later when the
Moses and the Gathering of
Joseph Smith recorded the coming of
Moses: “The heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us,
and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts
of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north”
(D&C 110:11). Moses’ earthly career was a mission of great importance to
the house of
All of those blessings constituted
the gathering and the restoration of
It is not difficult to see close
parallels between the mission of Moses and that of Joseph Smith (JST, Gen.
50:24-36). Through the work of Joseph Smith, God would make a people out of
those who were spiritually scattered and lost, restore to them the knowledge of
who they were, deliver them from spiritual bondage, reveal a law to them,
establish their government under priesthood and prophetic authority, bind them
to him under sacred covenants, and set them on a course that would lead to the
establishment of Zion. In the work of Joseph Smith and his successors, we see
the fruit of the keys that were restored by Moses.
Moses’ keys are the keys of
missionary work for
Missionary work had been underway
since the beginning of the Restoration. Moses’ keys put the seal on that labor
and enabled the work of gathering to continue at an even greater pace. A year
after he appeared, the restored gospel was taken for the first time to
countries outside
Elias and the Abrahamic Covenant
After Moses departed from Joseph
Smith and Oliver Cowdery, “Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of
the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us
should be blessed” (D&C 110:12). Though the identity of the messenger is
not clear, the nature of his keys seems to be more certain. Elias brought to
the Church “the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham.” The words “in us and
our seed all generations after us should be blessed” are reminiscent of
biblical promises pertaining to God’s covenant with the ancient Patriarchs
(e.g., Gen. 22:18) and reflect the promises that were revealed in the book of
Abraham only months before Elias’s coming (Abr. 2:9-11). It appears, then, that
the messenger Elias restored keys pertaining to the covenant of Abraham, keys
through which worthy men and women join in that covenant to create eternal
family units.
Faithful Saints, by virtue of those
keys, are married not only for time but also for eternity. Their children are
sealed to them, as they are to their faithful ancestors before them (D&C
132:19-20, 30-31). In ways that have not been revealed, their exaltation brings
them “a continuation of the seeds forever and ever” that will “continue as
innumerable as the stars” (D&C 132:19, 30). Fn
Because the name Elias is
often used in scripture as a title to represent a forerunner—a messenger who
goes ahead to prepare the way for a greater revelation—we do not know if the
name is used as a title of the messenger in this manifestation, or if the
angelic visitor who appeared in the Kirtland Temple was a man by that name. Perhaps
the Elias who restored the keys of the Abrahamic covenant was Abraham himself,
or a contemporary of Abraham, or someone of his lineage who held the keys.
Elijah and the Sealing Keys
The final angelic key holder who
appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on that occasion was Elijah. He
said: “Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of
Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and
dreadful day of the Lord come—to turn the hearts of the fathers to the
children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with
a curse—therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands;
and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near,
even at the doors” (D&C 110:14-16).
This was not the first time Joseph
Smith had been instructed concerning the mission of Elijah. When Moroni
appeared to him on 21-22 September 1823, Moroni taught him by quoting Malachi
4:5-6, which foretells Elijah’s coming (JS-H 1:38-39; D&C 2:1-3).
Elijah restored the keys of the
sealing power. Fn Most often we consider this power in the context of the
redemptive work for the dead and the “welding link” that temple work creates “between
the fathers and the children” (D&C 128:18; see also 17). According to
Joseph Smith, Elijah’s keys “turn the hearts of the children to the covenant
made with their fathers,” fn they “reveal the covenants of the fathers
to the children and of the children to the fathers, that they may enter into
covenant with each other,” fn and they “seal the hearts of the
fathers to the children—and the children to the parents.” Fn
But Elijah’s keys do even more; they
seal and validate all ordinances of the priesthood so that ordinances
performed on earth are binding in heaven as well. Joseph Smith taught: “Elijah
was the last prophet that held the keys of this priesthood, and who will,
before the last dispensation, restore the authority and deliver the keys of
this priesthood in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in
righteousness. . . . Why send Elijah? Because he holds the keys of the
authority to administer in all the ordinances of the priesthood. And without
the authority is given, the ordinances could not be administered in
righteousness.” Fn Moreover, “the spirit, power, and calling of Elijah is that
ye have power to hold the keys of the revelations, ordinances, oracles, powers,
and endowments of the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood and of the kingdom
of God on the earth, and to receive, obtain, and perform all the ordinances
belonging to the kingdom of God.” Fn
The appearance of Moses, Elias, and
Elijah in the Kirtland Temple repeated in many ways the similar event that the
ancient apostles Peter, James, and John experienced, as recorded in the New
Testament (Matt. 17:1-9). At that time, as in 1836, the Lord was beginning a
new dispensation of his Church, and ancient holders of priesthood power came to
pass on the keys of their ministry to enable the Lord’s work to be carried
forward. In the latter days, this transmittal of keys was an indispensable step
in the process of the Restoration.
Keys, Honors, Majesty, and Glory
Because the Prophet Joseph Smith was
very circumspect regarding spiritual events, we are not privileged to know
everything he knew and experienced. We know, however, that other ancient
prophets appeared to him and conveyed to him the keys of their callings so the
Church in our day would be able to fulfill its divinely appointed role: “Now,
what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A
voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings
for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of
great joy. . . . And the voice of Michael, the archangel; the voice of Gabriel,
and of Raphael, and of divers angels, from Michael or Adam down to the present
time, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors,
their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood” (D&C 128:19, 21).
The Restoration would be
comprehensive, because in this, the final dispensation of the gospel, “all
things which are in Christ Jesus, whether in heaven or on the earth, shall be
gathered together in him, and . . . all things shall be restored, as spoken of
by all the holy prophets since the world began: for in it will take place the
glorious fulfillment of the promises made to the fathers, while the displays of
the power of the Most High will be great, glorious, and sublime.” Fn
In the spring of 1844, a few weeks
before his death, Joseph Smith passed on the keys that he had received to the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. President Wilford Woodruff, who was there,
remembered the Prophet’s words as follows: “I have sealed upon your heads all
the keys of the
“Said he, during that period, ‘I now
rejoice. I have lived until I have seen this burden, which has rested on my
shoulders, rolled on to the shoulders of other men; now the keys of the kingdom
are planted on the earth to be taken away no more for ever.’ But until he had
done this, they remained with him; and had he been taken away they would have
had to be restored by messengers out of heaven. But he lived until every key,
power and principle of the holy Priesthood was sealed on the Twelve and on
President Young, as their President.” Fn
Fully empowered with all the keys of
the priesthood, the Twelve were able to go forward in the work that God had
begun through Joseph Smith. Though all who have been ordained to the Quorum of
the Twelve bear all the keys, they are fully activated in the person of the
senior apostle, who is the president of the Church. As new members of the
Twelve are called, they receive those same keys, and thus the Lord’s power is
continued in his Church in the fifteen men who compose the First Presidency and
the Quorum of the Twelve. The latter-day Church has never been without the keys
since they were first restored.
Notes
1. For a review of the events that
led up to these manifestations, see Milton V. Backman Jr., The Heavens
Resound: A History of the Latter-day Saints in
2. These blessings are discussed in
Chapter 22, 230-34.
3. Joseph Smith, Joseph Smith’s
Commentary on the Bible, comp. and ed. Kent P. Jackson (Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book, 1994), 69-74.
4. See Charles R. Harrell, “Turning
the Hearts of the Fathers and the Children,” in Robert L. Millet and Kent P.
Jackson, eds., The Doctrine and Covenants, Studies in Scripture Series,
vol. 1 (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1989), 57-63.
5. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook,
eds., The Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo
Discourses of the Prophet Joseph (Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center,
Brigham Young University, 1980), 242; emphasis added.
6. Ibid., 241; emphasis added.
7. Ibid., 336; emphasis added.
8. Ibid., 43.
9. Ibid., 329.
10. Times and Seasons 1, no.
12 (October 1840): 178.
11. Millennial Star 51 (1889):
546-47; see also Times and Seasons 5, no. 20 (1 November 1844): 698-70.
12. In Journal of Discourses,
26 vols. (London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot, 1855-86), 13:164 (12 December
1869).
(Kent P.
Jackson, From Apostasy to Restoration [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1996], 216.)
The Keys of the Priesthood Restored
Approximately six months before his
death, Jesus spoke with his disciples at Caesarea Philippi. It was on that
occasion that the chief apostle, in response to the Lord's query, declared:
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Simon was commended
for his testimony and assured that such a witness had come from a divine
source. "And I say also unto thee," the Master continued, "that
thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of
hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the
kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven" (Matt. 16:13-19). Within a period of about one week, the Lord's
promise was fulfilled. The New Testament Gospels record that Jesus took with
him Peter, James, and John—the chief apostles of the church—to a high mountain to
pray. While in that setting, these four were transfigured—lifted spiritually to
a higher plane—and thus made ready for a transcendent experience.
Moses and Elijah appeared and
bestowed upon the meridian apostolic presidency the keys of the kingdom of
heaven. fn Keys are directing powers, the right of presidency. These rights
would allow the apostles to govern and direct the church in the absence of
Jesus Christ, and to make available to the Saints all the powers and blessings
of the everlasting gospel. Peter, James, and John had received the Melchizedek
Priesthood years earlier and had been given apostolic power and commission at
the time of their appointment to the Twelve. Now, however, they had further
rights and additional directional responsibilities to bind and seal on earth,
that their actions might likewise receive sealing validity in the heavens.
That which transpired in the first
century in
By early April bearers of the
priesthood had received their washings and anointings, including participating
in the ordinance of the washing of feet; they had therefore received a partial
endowment. Shortly thereafter, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery knelt in prayer
behind drawn curtains adjacent to the large pulpits on the west side of the
main floor of the temple. The date was Sunday, 3 April 1836, exactly one week following
the dedication of the Lord's House. During the morning hours Elder Thomas B.
Marsh (then president of the Twelve) and Elder David W. Patten (also an
apostle) spoke to the Saints. In the afternoon the Presidency and the apostles
participated in administering and passing the sacrament, after which Joseph
Smith and Oliver Cowdery commenced praying privately. At that moment these two
men participated in one of the most important visions of the ages. fn Although
temple work as we know it today was not performed in our first temple (members
received only a partial endowment at that time), the keys to engage in temple
work were unfolded in that House of the Lord (D&C 1 10). One of the main
purposes for the construction of that building was realized on that occasion.
Saints who had sacrificed for three years were recipients of one of the most
rewarding visions of all time. And the blessings that flowed from that temple
"have given literally millions of people great cause to rejoice." fn
The Savior Appears
As Jesus and his three Galilean
apostles were transfigured anciently, so also were Joseph Smith and Oliver
Cowdery—"apostles, and especial witnesses" of the name of Christ
(D&C 27:12)—transformed and made ready to see within the veil and receive
divine direction and authority. Appropriately, Jesus the Lord appeared first.
In ancient days Jehovah had chosen frequently to make his presence known and
manifest his glory through a cloud which rested upon his temple. In modern
times Jehovah came again to his temple—the first one worthy of his presence in
many centuries—and in power and great glory (cf. Exod. 24:9-10; Rev. 1:14-15)
accepted the offering of his people. This appearance was a realization of the
promise given in 1833: "And inasmuch as my people build a house unto me in
the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, that
it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon it; Yea, and my presence shall be
there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall come into it
shall see God" (D&C 97:15-16).
After announcing that Joseph and
Oliver were cleansed from sin, the Lord encouraged the brethren to rejoice in
the occasion and to broaden their vision as to the importance of the Kirtland
Temple: "Yea the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly
rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out, and the
endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house." Even
though the Kirtland temple ceremonies were only a partial endowment (the full
endowment would be revealed to the Prophet in Nauvoo in 1842), the keys and
powers which were received on 3 April 1836 affect time and the eternities.
Moses and the Gathering
Joseph Smith recorded: "After
this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared
before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of
People are gathered first spiritually
and then temporally. They are gathered first as they accept the true Messiah
and are thus "restored to the true church and fold of God" (2 Ne.
9:2); secondly, they are gathered as they go where the Saints of God
congregate. In the early days of the restored Church, for example, a convert
evidenced his devotion to the faith first by baptism and then by relocating
with the "body of Christ," be that in Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, or
the Great Basin. It is clear, however, that as early as 1833 the Prophet Joseph
understood that the time would come when the concept of gathering would expand,
a day "when there is found no more room for them [i.e., when the areas of
Missouri or even Utah would no longer be the sole places of gathering]; and
then I have other places which I will appoint unto them, and they shall be
called stakes, for the curtains or the strength of Zion" (D&C 101:21).
By the end of the nineteenth century Saints were told to remain in their native
lands and thus to build up the stakes of
Only through the establishment and
strengthening of stakes throughout the world could the full concept of
Elias and the Patriarchal Order
"After this, Elias appeared, and
committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our
seed all generations after us should be blessed." The identity of
Elias—whether he be Noah, fn Abraham himself, or a prophet named Elias from the
days of Abraham fn—is not clearly known. This heavenly messenger restored the
keys necessary to establish the ancient patriarchal order, making Joseph Smith
and all those who receive celestial marriage through the temple heirs of the
blessings and "promises of the fathers"—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. fn
The promises to Joseph Smith (and all worthy Latter-day Saints after him) are
glorious. The Lord said: "And as I said unto Abraham concerning the
kindreds of the earth, even so I say unto my servant Joseph: In thee and in thy
seed shall the kindred of the earth be blessed" (D&C 124:58). In
addition:
Abraham received promises concerning
his seed, and of the fruit of his loins—from whose loins ye are, namely, my
servant Joseph—which were to continue so long as they were in the world; and as
touching Abraham and his seed, out of the world they should continue; both in
the world and out of the world should they continue as innumerable as the
stars. . . . This promise is yours also, because ye are of Abraham, and the
promise was made unto Abraham; and by this law [of eternal marriage] is the
continuation of the works of my Father, wherein he glorifieth himself. Go ye,
therefore, and do the works of Abraham; enter ye into my law and ye shall be
saved (D&C 132:30-32).
Elias thus returned and delivered
that directing power through which eternal family units may be organized and
perpetuated through the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. A modern
apostle, Elder Bruce R. McConkie, has written:
As the crowning cause for wonderment,
that God who is no respector of persons has given a like promise [to that of
Abraham and Joseph Smith] to every [member] in the kingdom who has gone to the
holy temple and entered into the blessed order of matrimony there performed.
Every person married in the temple for time and for all eternity has sealed
upon him, conditioned upon his faithfulness, all of the blessings of the
ancient patriarchs, including the crowning promise and assurance of eternal
increase, which means, literally, a posterity as numerous as the dust particles
of the earth. fn
Elijah and the Sealing Power
The Prophet Joseph wrote concerning
the final heavenly ministrant on this occasion: "After this vision had
closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the
prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and
said: Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of
Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful
day of the Lord come—to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the
children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse."
Precisely on the day that Elijah's appearance took place, Jews throughout the
world were engaged in the celebration of the Passover, the annual commemoration
of the day over three thousand years before when the angel of death had passed
over the firstborn of Israel whose dwellings were marked by the blood of lambs.
Since the time of Malachi—from about 500 B.C.—Jews world-wide waited with
anxious anticipation for the coming of Elijah. Alfred Edersheim has written:
"Hence to this day, in every Jewish home [which formally celebrates the
Paschal feast], at a certain part of the Paschal service—just after the 'third
cup,' or the 'cup of blessing,' has been drunk—the door is opened to admit
Elijah the prophet." fn Elijah did come, but not to Jewish homes. He came
rather to the house of the Lord, and to his legal administrators; there he
bestowed priesthood keys of inestimable worth and eternal import.
When
Three months before his death, Joseph
Smith instructed the Latter-day Saints concerning the mission of Elijah:
"The spirit, power, and calling of Elijah is that ye have power to hold
the key of the revelations, ordinances, oracles, powers and endowments of the
fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood and of the kingdom of God on the earth."
fn Elijah restored the keys whereby individuals and families may (through the
blessings of the holy temple) develop line upon line to the point where they
receive the "fulness of the priesthood," and thus become kings and
priests, queens and priestesses unto God in the patriarchal order. "Those
holding the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood," Joseph had taught
earlier, "are kings and priests of the Most High God, holding the keys of
power and blessings." fn Through the powers delivered by Elias (via the
marriage discipline of the Fathers—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) eternal family
units—here and hereafter—are created. Through the powers delivered by Elijah,
families may be sealed unto eternal life, inasmuch as "the power of Elijah
is sufficient to make our calling and election sure." fn
Because Elijah came, all other
ordinances for the living and the dead (e.g., baptisms, confirmations,
ordinations, etc.) have real meaning and are thus of efficacy, virtue, and
force in eternity. fn The ordinances associated with the ministry of Elijah
(centering in the temples) are the "capstone blessings" of the gospel
and the consummation of the work of the Church; they provide purpose and
perspective for all other sacred activities.
Elijah came to "plant in the
hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers" whereby the
"hearts of the children [should] turn to their fathers" (D&C
2:2). The Spirit of the Lord witnesses to faithful Latter-day Saints of the
central place of eternal marriage and of the sublime joys associated with the
everlasting continuation of the family. Through temples God's promises to the
fathers—the promises pertaining to the gospel, the priesthood, and eternal
increase (Abr. 2:8-11)—are extended to all God's children. The hearts of the
children turn to the ancient fathers because the children are now participants
in and recipients of the blessings of the fathers. Being profoundly grateful
for such privileges, members of the Church (motivated by the spirit of
Elijah) also find their hearts turning to their more immediate fathers, and do
all within their power (through genealogical research and subsequent temple
work) to insure that the blessings of the ancient fathers are enjoyed by
ancestry as well as posterity. "If it were not so [that is, if Elijah had
not come to restore the powers by which families could be sealed
everlastingly], the whole earth would be utterly wasted at [Christ's]
coming" (D&C 2:3). Why? Simply because the earth would not have
accomplished its foreordained purposes, to establish on its face a family
system patterned after the order of heaven. If there were no binding and
sealing powers whereby families could be cemented forever, then the plans and
designs and schemes of mortal man—being basically purposeless from an eternal
perspective—would be revealed at the Second Coming as the empty and superficial
substitues which they are. The Lord's purpose is to bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39). Because of Elijah's coming,
ancestry and posterity may be grafted together eternally.
"Therefore the keys of this
dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the
dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors" (D&C 110:16).
(Robert L.
Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine
and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 422.)
D&C 131
2 Peter 1 –
We are to be working on making our calling and election sure. It is known by revelation and ordinance that
you are qualified to move on to the next phase to prepare the people for the
Millennium.
(Doctrine and Covenants
131:1-5.)
1 In the celestial glory
there are three heavens or degrees;
2 And in order to obtain
the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new
and everlasting covenant of marriage];
3 And if he does not, he
cannot obtain it.
4 He may enter into the
other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.
5 (May 17th,
1843.) The more sure word of prophecy means a man’s knowing that he is sealed
up unto eternal life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the
power of the Holy Priesthood.
Doctrine and Covenants 131:2
What is the difference between “the
new and everlasting covenant” and “the new and everlasting covenant of marriage”?
Because in Doctrine and Covenants 131
the Lord is discussing the exalted state that can be inherited only by those
who have worthily entered celestial marriage, he particularly emphasizes the
importance of this “new and everlasting covenant of marriage.” That covenant
should not be confused with the “new and everlasting covenant” that is the
gospel as a whole. See D&C 22. While “baptism is the gate to the
celestial kingdom,” affirmed Elder Bruce R. McConkie, “celestial marriage is
the gate to an exaltation in the highest heaven within the celestial world” (Mormon
Doctrine, 118).
(Richard O.
Cowan, Answers to Your Questions About the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1996], 145.)
Doctrine and Covenants 131:5
Why is it important to receive “the
more sure word of prophecy” and how can we do so?
Receiving the assurance called “the
more sure word of prophecy” (D&C 131:5D&C 131:5) is essentially the
same thing as being “sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise” (D&C 76:53) or
making our “calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). See D&C 76:53.
Achieving this lofty spiritual goal prepares us to enjoy the further remarkable
privilege of receiving the Second Comforter—meeting the Savior face to face. See
D&C 67:10.
“The first great revelation that a
person needs to get is to know the divinity of the work,” explained
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (How to Get Personal Revelation, 8). Then,
building on this testimony, we should constantly strive to keep the
commandments and grow spiritually to the point we are worthy to inherit eternal
life. The ultimate revelation that we should seek to obtain from the Holy Ghost
is the assurance that our calling and election has been made sure. Elder
McConkie challenged us to live so that we might “have the whisperings of the
Spirit in [our] heart and soul and, in addition, can see visions, entertain
angels, behold the face of the Lord” (How to Get Personal Revelation, 1).
The apostle Peter recalled the
marvelous experience on the “holy mount” when he and his brethren beheld the
transfigured Lord and heard the voice of God from heaven. Now he declared that
he had an even “more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:18-19). He challenges us
to give diligence to make our calling and election sure by adding “to your
faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to
temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly
kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity” (vv. 5-7).
Reflecting on Peter’s words, the
Prophet Joseph Smith expounded: “Though they might hear the voice of God and
know that Jesus was the Son of God, this would be no evidence that their
election and calling was made sure, that they had part with Christ, and were
joint heirs with Him. They then would want that more sure word of prophecy,
that they were sealed in the heavens and the promise of eternal life in the
After defining “the more sure word of
prophecy,” Joseph Smith taught that “it is impossible for a man to be saved in
ignorance” of this saving witness (D&C 131:6). “If a man be ignorant of the
terms on which salvation is predicated,” reasoned Elder James E. Talmage, “he
is unable to comply therewith, and consequently fails to attain what otherwise
might have been his eternal gain” (Vitality of Mormonism, 268).
The great gift of eternal life “may
not, of course, be fully realized during earth life,” pointed out Elder Marion
G. Romney. “An assurance that it will be obtained in the world to come may,
however, be had in this world. As a matter of fact, the blessings of the
celestial kingdom are promised only to those who have such an assurance.” This
blessing may not be realized in mortality, but we should be striving for it.
Elder Romney concluded that it “is within the reach of us all, because it is
not to be paid in money nor in any of this world’s goods but in righteous
living. What is required is wholehearted devotion to the gospel and unreserved
allegiance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (in Conference
Report, Oct. 1949, 41, 43).
(Richard O.
Cowan, Answers to Your Questions About the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1996], 145.)
The purpose of life is to work out
one’s salvation in this world and in the world to come. (D&C 46:7.)
Salvation comes by obedience to the principles and practices of the gospel of
Jesus Christ.
Elder Marion G. Romney of the Council
of the Twelve reminds us that eternal life is not achieved in this life, but an
assurance of it may be received here. (D&C 131:5.) In order to make one’s
calling and election sure, the following three things are necessary: (1) to
receive the testimony of Jesus and be baptized; (2) to receive the Holy Ghost
by the laying on of hands; and (3) to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise.
Brother Romney proceeded to say:
. . . What is required is
wholehearted devotion to the gospel and unreserved allegiance to the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Speaking to this point, the Prophet taught “.
. . that those who keep the commandments of the Lord and walk in his statutes
to the end, are the only individuals who shall receive the blessings. . . . We
must be willing to sacrifice everything. Through self-discipline and devotion
we must demonstrate to the Lord that we are willing to serve him under all
circumstances. When we have done this, we shall receive an assurance that we
shall have eternal life in the world to come. Then we shall have peace in this
world. (Conference Report, September 1949, pp. 41-44.)
(Roy W.
Doxey, The Doctrine and Covenants Speaks [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
Co., 1964], 2: 414.)
Setting for Section 131
On Tuesday, 16 May 1843, Joseph Smith
arrived in Ramus for another visit. The Prophet made several social calls in
the afternoon before going to Benjamin Johnson's home for the evening.
"Before retiring, I gave Brother and Sister Johnson some instructions on
the priesthood," Joseph recorded later in his history. fn Brother
Johnson's memoirs reveal even more about what those instructions were like:
"In the evening he called me and my wife to come and sit down, for he
wished to marry us according to the Law of the Lord. I thought it was a joke,
and said, I should not marry my wife again, unless she courted me, for I did it
all the first time. He chided my levity, told me he was in earnest, and so it
proved, for we stood up and were sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise." fn
The same eventful evening Joseph
placed his hand on the knee of his devoted scribe, William Clayton, and said,
"Your life is hid with Christ in God." Joseph proceeded to seal
Brother Clayton unto eternal life and to explain more details about the new and
everlasting covenant of marriage similar to those found in D&C 132:16-17,
26. fn Joseph concluded his instructions to Clayton by referring to the three
heavens or degrees in the celestial kingdom and certifying that entrance into
the highest only would come through participation in the new and everlasting
covenant of marriage (see D&C 131:1-4). This last ordinance had just been
performed that evening for Benjamin Johnson and his wife Melissa.
Still later that evening Joseph Smith
and Benjamin Johnson were conversing privately in a bedroom. Benjamin recorded
that Joseph "gave me such ideas pertaining to endowments as he thought
proper." fn
The next morning, Wednesday, the 17th
of May, Joseph preached in a public morning meeting. Doctrine and Covenants
131:5-6, concerning the more sure word of prophecy, was part of that sermon.
Joseph also stated in the same speech that salvation means a man's being placed
beyond the powers of his enemies and that Paul had seen the third heavens, but
that he (Joseph) had seen more than that. Joseph also stated that Peter had
penned the most sublime language of any of the apostles. fn
That evening the Prophet and the town
residents had another interesting experience. A Methodist preacher, Samuel
Prior, who was visiting Ramus, was called upon to speak to the congregation.
This surprised Prior, who had expected no religious toleration among the
Mormons. After Prior closed his remarks, Joseph politely asked Prior for
permission to make comments on the latter's speech. In Prior's words, Joseph "mildly"
spoke "like one who was more desirous to disseminate truth and expose
error, than to love the malicious triumph of debate over me." fn Doctrine
and Covenants 131:7-8, regarding all spirit being matter, is part of Joseph's
comments in response to Reverend Prior's remarks. Reverend Prior later called
on the Prophet in Nauvoo.
Doctrinal Gems in Sections 129-131
These "instructions" of the
Prophet in 1843, now found in D&C 129-131, contain numerous doctrinal gems
that in some instances are related, but in other cases bear hardly any
relationship to each other. In any event all of these revealed doctrines are
unique to the Latter-day Saints and serve to extend vastly our vision of
eternity. For purposes of clarity and space, we will deal with only three of
these key doctrinal areas, drawing from all three instructional sections of the
Doctrine and Covenants and other useful interpretive sources.
The Ministry of Angels
The Restoration of the gospel and the
Church is largely based on the visitations of angels to the Prophet Joseph
Smith and a few selected others. Early in his role as a prophet, Joseph became
acquainted with the nature of angels, having been visited by Moroni, John the
Baptist, Peter, James, John, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael (see D&C 128:20-21),
as well as such Book of Mormon personages as Mormon, Nephi, and Alma. fn On the
other hand, Joseph also became acquainted with Satan and his innumerable train
of associates when he first was shown the Book of Mormon plates by the Angel
Moroni. fn Somewhere in these early experiences he became acquainted with what
he called the "grand keys" to distinguish good angels from evil
angels. Thus he gave as instructions to Elder Parley P. Pratt the instructions
contained in D&C 129:4-9.
That Joseph understood something
about these keys as early as the 1829-30 period or even earlier may be drawn
from his statement in D&C 128:20: "The voice of Michael on the banks
of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of
light!" Since the Prophet did not return to the Susquehanna River area
near Harmony,
Joseph Smith certainly was thoroughly
acquainted with these "grand keys" by 1839, because he instructed
members of the Twelve concerning them prior to the apostles' leaving for their
monumental mission to
Among the vast number of the Keys of
the
In order to detect the devel when he
transforms himself nigh unto an angel of light. When an angel of God appears
unto man face to face in personage & reaches out his hand unto the man
& he takes hold of the angels hand & feels a substance the same as one
man would in Shaking hands with another he may then know that it is an angel of
God, & he should place all Confidence in him. Such personages or angels are
Saints with there resurrected Bodies.
But if a personage appears unto man
& offers him his hand & the man takes hold of it & he feels nothing
or does not sens any substance he may know it is the devel, for when a Saint
whose body is not resurrected appears unto man in the flesh he will not offer
him his hand for this is against the law given him & in keeping in mind
these things we may detec the devil that he deceived us not. fn
The connection between these instructions
and those in section 129 is unmistakable. Hence these "grand keys"
were known by at least some members of the Twelve three and one-half years
before they were revealed again in 1843.
A few days after the above discourse,
on 2 July 1839, Joseph Smith was still instructing the Twelve. "We may
look for angels and receive their ministrations," he told them, "but
we are to try the spirits and prove them, for it is often the case that men
make a mistake in regard to these things. . . . Lying spirits are going forth
in the earth. There will be great manifestations of spirits, both false and
true." fn These instructions and keys concerning angels became very useful
for the Twelve in Britain, for in addition to being ministered to by righteous
angels in the course of their missionary work, they were likewise plagued by
evil spirits.
The Prophet apparently was also
thoroughly acquainted with the appropriate appearance of angels. For one thing,
he explained in 1839 that an angel of God never has wings. fn In 1842 he
recalled an experience where Satan had appeared as an angel of light. "A
sister in the state of
who said it was told her that if she
would go to a certain place in the woods an angel would appear to her—she went
at the appointed time and saw a glorious personage descending arrayed in white,
with sandy coloured hair; he commenced and told her to fear God and said that
her husband was called to do great things, but that he must not go more than
one hundred miles from home or he would not return; whereas God had called him
to go to the ends of the earth: and he has since been more than one thousand
miles from home, and is yet alive. Many true things were spoken by this
personage and many things that were false.—How it may be asked was this known
to be a bad angel? by the color of his hair; that is one of the signs that he
can be known by, and by contradicting a former revelation. fn
In the same instructions given to
Parley P. Pratt on 9 February 1843 (but which were not included in D&C
129), Joseph related, "A man came to me in Kirtland, and told me he had
seen an angel, and described his dress. I told him he had seen no angel, and
that there was no such dress in heaven." fn
Joseph Smith also delineated two
different types of heavenly beings in his instructions to Parley P. Pratt: (1)
"Angels, who are resurrected personages, having bodies of flesh and
bones" (D&C 129:1) and (2) "the spirits of just men made perfect,
they who are not resurrected, but inherit the same glory" (D&C 129:3).
Several months later, while preaching at a funeral sermon, Joseph indicated
that the spirits of just men made perfect "can only be revealed in flaming
fire, or glory" and that angels "have advanced farther—their light
and glory being tabernacled, and hence [they] appear in bodily shape." fn
The spirits of just men made perfect are interpreted as the spirits of
individuals who have worked out their salvation, but are awaiting the day of
their resurrection. fn
President George Q. Cannon broadened
this Doctrine and Covenants definition of angels when he wrote in 1891:
In the broadest sense, any being who
acts as a messenger for our Heavenly Father, is an angel, be he a God, a
resurrected man, or the spirit of a just man; and the term is so used in all
these senses in the ancient scriptures. In the stricter and more limited sense,
an angel is, as the Prophet Joseph Smith states, a resurrected personage,
having a body of flesh and bones; but it must be remembered that none of the
angels who appeared to men before the death of the Savior could be of that
class, for none of them was resurrected. fn
This idea of various appointments and
stations of angels was further clarified by President Charles W. Penrose in
1912: "Angels are God's messengers, whether used in the capacity as
unembodied spirits, selected according to their capacities for the work
required, or as disembodied spirits, or as translated men, or as resurrected
beings. They are agents of Deity of different degrees of intelligence, power
and authority, under the direction of higher dignitaries, and subject to law
and order in their respective spheres." fn
Regarding the dwelling place of these
angels, the Prophet explained to the Ramus Saints in April 1843 that angels
"reside in the presence of God" where "all things for their
glory are manifest, past, present, and future" (D&C 130:7). Joseph
also pointed out that all the angels that minister or have ministered to this
earth have belonged to this earth (D&C 130:5). Presumably this means that
all the resurrected beings, translated beings, or spirits who have served as
heavenly messengers were once mortal beings on this earth, or will yet take a
body and live on earth.
Christ's Second Coming
Nothing seemed to attract the
attention of the Prophet and the early Saints as much as the subject of the
prophesied coming of the Savior. After all, Joseph Smith had learned in his
earliest heavenly manifestations that the restoration of the gospel and the
true Church were but a necessary prelude to the Second Coming of the Son of Man
and his millennial reign on the earth. Many of the early revelations to the
Prophet in the Doctrine and Covenants were dedicated wholly or in large measure
to the signs of the times and to warning of the great calamities and
destructions that must occur prior to the Second Coming. fn
Joseph's "instructions" to
the Saints in Ramus as found in D&C 130 contribute to our understanding of
the Second Coming in two general areas: (1) the actual appearance of the Savior
when he comes again, and (2) the time of his coming.
As previously mentioned, Orson Hyde
accompanied the Prophet to Ramus in early April 1843 and propounded some
incorrect doctrine in his sermon there. Elder Hyde had claimed that the Savior
would appear "on a white horse as a warrior." fn Joseph kindly
corrected Orson before the Saints by declaring, "When the Savior shall
appear we shall see him as he is. We shall see that he is a man like
ourselves" (D&C 130:1). The Prophet actually was doing no more than
sustaining the Apostle John's statement in his first general epistle, wherein
he wrote, "When he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see
him as he is" (1 John 3:2). We also read from Luke that an angel said, as
the Lord ascended to heaven in full view of his apostles, "This same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as
ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).
Joseph Smith's teachings as to the
time of the Second Coming in these "instructions" were particularly
useful to the Saints in the Nauvoo period when speculation was rife concerning
the date of the Lord's appearance. Many millennialistic prophecies were in the
air in the
"I was once praying very
earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man" (D&C
130:14), explained the Prophet to the members in Ramus just the day before
Miller's projected date of 3 April 1843. Joseph went on to tell how the Lord
informed him that if he Joseph) lived until he was eighty-five years old, he
would see the face of the Son of Man (D&C 130:15). Joseph was left
wondering whether this appearance referred to the beginning of the Millennium
or to some previous appearing, or whether he would die and thus see Christ's
face (D&C 130:16). In any event the Prophet was convinced that the Savior would
not come again prior to 1890 (the year when Joseph would have been 85). This
prophecy and another which he gave four days later in general conference, fn
were held in high esteem by the Latter-day Saints for the next several years
and served as effective counterpoints to the false views of William Miller. On
3 April Joseph observed, "Miller's day of judgment has arrived, but it is
too pleasant for false prophets." fn
As far as we in the present are
concerned, we must be satisfied with the biblical explanation that no one knows
the day or the hour when the Savior will return (see Matt. 24:36). Our main
objective should be to stand in holy places (D&C 87:8) and to have the Holy
Spirit as our guide (D&C 45:57) rather than laboring to ascertain the exact
date of the Lord's reappearing.
More Sure Word of Prophecy
Joseph Smith used 2 Peter chapter 1
as his text when he instructed the Saints in Ramus on 17 May 1843. When he came
across the phrase, "the more sure word of prophecy" in v. 19, he
defined it as follows: "a man's knowing that he is sealed up unto eternal
life, by revelation and the spirit of prophecy, through the power of the Holy
Priesthood" (D&C 131:6).
This was not the first time the
Prophet had discoursed on this subject, one which he considered vital in one's
quest for eternal life. Speaking to the Twelve Apostles on 17 June 1839 (the
same occasion when he gave the apostles the "grand keys" to
distinguish angels), the Prophet spoke about two comforters, the first being
the Holy Ghost, and the second being the actual ministration of Christ to a
mortal person.
After a person has faith in Christ,
repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives
the Holy Ghost, (by laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let
him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after
righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say to
him, son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and
finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will
find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to
receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints. fn
The phrase, "to make your
calling and election sure," also comes from 2 Peter 1, this time from v.
10. It appears from Joseph Smith's foregoing description that at this date
(1839) the Prophet was closely tying together the concepts of making one's
calling and election sure and the more sure word of prophecy.
Just three days before Joseph Smith
gave his instructions in Ramus that are now found in D&C 131, he was
speaking to a similar gathering of outlying Saints in Yelrome (named after
Isaac Morley; Yelrome is Morley spelled backwards with an additional e).
As he would do later in the week, the Prophet took as his text 2 Peter chapter
1. Pertaining to the need for obtaining the more sure word of prophecy, the
Prophet declared, "The apostle [Peter] exhorts them to add to their faith,
virtue, knowledge, temperance, &c., yet he exhorts them to make their
calling and election sure. And though they had heard an audible voice from
heaven bearing testimony that Jesus was the Son of God, yet he says we have a
more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a
light shining in a dark place." fn The Prophet then proceeded to define
the more sure word of prophecy: "[The assurance] that they were sealed in
the heavens and had the promise of eternal life in the kingdom of God. Then,
having this promise sealed unto them, it was an anchor to the soul, sure and
steadfast. Though the thunders might roll and lightning’s flash, and
earthquakes bellow, and war gather thick around, yet this hope and knowledge
would support the soul in every hour of trial, trouble and tribulation. Then
knowledge through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the grand key that
unlocks the glories and mysteries of the kingdom of heaven." fn Thus the
Prophet in effect defined the more sure word of prophecy as the
knowledge that one has made his calling and election sure. Hence
Joseph's statement, "It is impossible for a man to be saved in
ignorance" (D&C 131:6), when taken in its proper context, has
reference to the more sure word of prophecy, and not simply to the
acquisition of intellectual knowledge. Rather it means that a person must
receive the assurance from the Lord that his calling and election is made sure.
No man can be saved ultimately in ignorance of this knowledge. fn
As previously mentioned, the
instructions about the three degrees in the celestial kingdom and that a person
must have entered the new and everlasting covenant of marriage to obtain the
highest of those three degrees (D&C 131:1-4) were given in private
conversation to Joseph Smith's scribe, William Clayton, in Benjamin Johnson's
home in Ramus, Illinois. Virtually in the same breath, Joseph proclaimed to
William that his "life was hid with Christ in God," and "that
nothing but the unpardonable sin can prevent [him] from inheriting eternal
life." Joseph assured William further that he was "sealed up by the
power of the Priesthood unto eternal life." fn Once again, noting the
context and the selection of words, we can safely conclude that having one's
life hid with Christ in God (see Col. 3:3) is synonymous with having
one's calling and election made sure. Furthermore, eternal marriage sets
one on a course which may eventuate in these consummate blessings.
Conclusion
Joseph Smith was a man who took on
many roles. He was able to express himself clearly and forcefully during the
spring of 1843, a period of unusual peace for him. He showed himself at his
best as a profound theologian, a loyal friend, a charismatic teacher, a kind
person to strangers, and a revealer of new and (to the world) unusual doctrine
and religious practices.
Doctrine and Covenants 129-31 have
long been loved and widely quoted by Latter-day Saints. Most members of the
Church have been inspired to greater religious application by the content of
these three sections. While the doctrines and prophecies of these three
sections are profound and singularly interesting, they did not arise from a
whim of Joseph Smith. There is strong evidence of previous thought and
revelation on all of the subjects in these important items of instruction.
(Robert L.
Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine
and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 501.)
A New and Everlasting Covenant
(D&C 132)
ROBERT L. MILLET
President Brigham Young spoke
eloquently concerning the infinite scope of marriage:
The whole subject of the marriage
relation is not in my reach, nor in any other man's reach on this earth. It is
without beginning of days or end of years: it is a hard matter to reach. We can
tell some things with regard to it: it lays the foundation for worlds, for
angels, and for the Gods; for intelligent beings to be crowned with glory,
immortality and eternal lives. In fact, it is the thread which runs from the
beginning to the end of the holy Gospel of Salvation—of the Gospel of the Son
of God; it is from eternity to eternity. fn
The profound truths contained in
section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants (when read in conjunction with other
revelations, particularly section 131) constitute the scriptural authority for
the unique and exalted concept of marriage and family among the Latter-day
Saints. In a day when iniquity abounds and the love of many has begun to wax
cold (D&C 45:27), the revelations of God through his prophets provide an
anchor to the troubled soul. D&C 132 is a message which is both peaceful
and penetrating, a revelation which can bring order and organization to things
on earth, as well as point man toward his infinite possibilities among the
Gods.
Backgrounds
The fulness of the gospel is called
by the Lord his "new and everlasting covenant." In a revelation given
in October, 1830 Joseph Smith was told: "Verily I say unto you, blessed
are you for receiving mine everlasting covenant, even the fulness of my gospel,
sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life and be partakers
of the glories which are to be revealed in the last days, as it was written by
the prophets and apostles in days of old" (D&C 66:2; cf. 39:11; 45:9;
133:57). Elder Bruce R. McConkie has written:
The gospel is the everlasting
covenant because it is ordained by Him who is Everlasting and also because it
is everlastingly the same. In all past ages salvation was gained by adherence
to its terms and conditions, and that same compliance will bring the same
reward in all future ages. Each time this everlasting covenant is revealed it
is new to those of that dispensation. Hence the gospel is the new and
everlasting covenant. fn
Eternal Marriage, the ordinance by
which couples enter into the Patriarchal Order (D&C 131:1-2), is a
new and everlasting covenant within the fulness of the gospel. In our day it is
a crucial element in the restitution of all things (D&C 132:40, 45).
Eternal Marriage is the ordinance and covenant which leads to the consummate
blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ; it is that order of the priesthood
which, when put into effect, will bind ancestry to posterity and thus prevent
the earth from being utterly wasted at the time of the Savior's Second Coming
(D&C 2).
As the introductory material to section
132 states, the basic doctrines of this revelation were received as early as
1831, yet the full application and historical context reflect its 1843
recording. A statement from Joseph Noble, a close associate of Joseph Smith the
Prophet, is instructive. Noble observed that the revelation on eternal marriage
was given to Joseph "while he was engaged in the work of translation of
the Scriptures." fn The opening verse of the revelation suggests that
Joseph had inquired concerning Old Testament personalities and their
participation in plural marriage. The Prophet would have been involved in the
study of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the book of Genesis—in 1830 and 1831. fn
Elder B. H. Roberts has given the following extended explanation:
There is indisputable evidence that
the revelation making known this marriage law was given to the Prophet as early
as 1831. In that year, and then intermittently up to 1833, the Prophet was
engaged in a revision of the English Bible text under the inspiration of God,
Sidney Rigdon in the main acting as his scribe. As he began his revision with
the Old Testament, he would be dealing with the age of the Patriarchs in 1831.
He was doubtless struck with the favor in which the Lord held the several Bible
Patriarchs of that period, notwithstanding they had a plurality of wives. What
more natural than that he should inquire of the Lord at that time, when his
mind must have been impressed with the fact—Why, O Lord, didst Thou justify Thy
servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; as also Moses, David and Solomon, in the
matter of their having many wives and concubines (see opening paragraph of the
Revelation)? In answer to that inquiry came the revelation, though not then
committed to writing. fn
The Prophet Joseph Smith shared many
of the details of the revelation with intimate associates, particularly when he
felt one could be trusted to value and preserve a sacred matter. Between 1831
and 1843 a number of the leaders of the Church were instructed concerning the
eternal marriage covenant (including the plurality of wives) and were told that
eventually many of the faithful would be called upon to comply with the will of
the Lord. In speaking to a gathering of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints in
explained the circumstances connected
with the coming forth of the revelation on plural marriage. Refuted the
statement and belief of those present that Brigham Young was the author of the
revelation; showed that Joseph Smith the Prophet had not only commenced the
practice of that principle himself, and taught it to others, before President
Young and the Twelve had returned from their mission in Europe, in 1841, but
that Joseph actually received revelations upon that principle as early as 1831.
fn
As one might expect, the doctrine of
plural marriage was not easily received, even by those who were otherwise
counted as faithful. President John Taylor, known to be one of the purest men
who ever lived, explained that "when this system [polygamy] was first
introduced among this people, it was one of the greatest crosses that was ever
taken up by any set of men since the world stood." fn Helen Mar Whitney,
one of Joseph Smith's plural wives, recalled that Joseph "said that the
practice of this principle would be the hardest trial the Saints would ever
have to test their faith." fn One of those for whom the principle was
particularly difficult was Emma Smith, wife of the Prophet. It appears,
therefore, that one of the major reasons for the formal recording of the
revelation in 1843 was to assist Emma to recognize the divine source of this
doctrine. William Clayton, private secretary to Joseph Smith, recorded the
following:
On the morning of the 12th of July,
1843, Joseph and Hyrum Smith came into the office of the upper story of the
"Brick-store," on the bank of the
The following entry from William
Clayton's diary for 12 July 1843 is interesting: "This A.M. I wrote a
Revelation consisting of 10 pages on the order of the priesthood, showing the
designs in Moses, Abraham, David and Solomon having many wives & concubines
&c. After it was wrote Prests. Joseph & Hyrum presented it and read it
to E[mma]. who said she did not believe a word of it and appeared very
rebellious." fn
D&C 132 is a revelation dealing
with celestial marriage. It also contains information and explanations
concerning the practice of plural marriage. One Latter-day Saint historian,
Danel Bachman, has suggested that section 132 consists largely of the Lord's
answers to three critical questions posed by the Prophet Joseph Smith. fn We
will consider the questions and answers more carefully as we come to them in
the text of the revelation.
The Lord's Justification (vv. 1-6)
The first question asked by the
Prophet Joseph was simply why the polygamous actions of notable Old Testament
prophet-leaders had received divine approval. Why was it, the Prophet wanted to
know, that prophets, patriarchs, and kings could have many wives and concubines?
fn In the Lord's response, Joseph was told to prepare his heart for the
instructions about to be given (v. 3); in this instance the explanation for the
ancient phenomenon was to be accompanied by a commandment to institute the
practice in modern times. Seeking further light and knowledge had led the
Prophet to further and greater obligations; much was about to be given, and
much would soon be required (cf. D&C 82:3). Salvation in the highest heaven
was at stake. Those who received this new and everlasting covenant (and
thereafter chose to abide by its terms and conditions) qualified
themselves—through the eternal principle of obedience (cf. D&C
130:20-21)—for the fulness of the glory of the Father, "which glory shall
be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever" (v. 19).
These are they who shall be enlarged, that is, have an increase—spirit
children into the eternities. They enjoy eternal lives (D&C 131:1-4;
132:17, 24). Joseph had taught these principles only two months earlier:
"Except a man and his wife enter into an everlasting covenant and be
married for eternity, while in this probation, by the power and authority of
the Holy Priesthood, they will cease to increase when they die; that is, they
will not have any children after the resurrection. But those who are married by
the power and authority of the priesthood in this life, and continue without
committing the sin against the Holy Ghost, will continue to increase and have
children in the celestial glory." fn
Salvation consists in the blessing of
eternal lives, the continuation of the family unit in eternity. Damnation is
the result of rejecting this new and everlasting covenant and is due largely to
pursuing the broad and wide ways of the world; the punishment is "the deaths,"
the dissolution of the family unit beyond the grave (D&C 132:17, 24-25).
Marriage in the Lord: Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (vv. 7-27,
49-50)
The second question posed by the
Prophet Joseph Smith seems to be associated with the cryptic statement by Jesus
in response to a Sadduceean trap: "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures,
nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given
in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven" (Matt. 22:29-30; cf.
Luke 20:34-36). This expression, little understood in the days of the Prophet,
is repeatedly given today as scriptural evidence against the Latter-day Saint
doctrine of eternal marriage. Joseph Smith's question concerning its meaning
led to a modern revealed commentary upon the passage and pointed us to the
reality that Jesus Christ had taught the doctrine of eternal marriage during
his mortal ministry. fn
From section 132 we learn that THEY
who neither marry nor are given in marriage in eternity are they who choose not
to enter in by the strait gate and partake of the new and everlasting covenant
of marriage. Even persons who qualify in every other way for the glories of the
celestial kingdom, but who for selfish reasons reject opportunities for
celestial marriage, cannot attain unto the highest degree of the celestial
glory (cf. D&C 131:1-4). Such persons are "appointed angels in heaven,
which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of
a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory." The Lord
continued: Because they did not abide by his law, "they cannot be
enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved
condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of
God forever and ever" (D&C 132:16-17). In commenting upon the status
of angels, Joseph Smith said: "Gods have an ascendency over the angels,
who are ministering servants. In the resurrection, some are raised to be
angels, others are raised to become Gods." fn
The Holy Spirit of Promise is the
Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit promised to the faithful. The Holy Ghost is a
member of the Godhead with vital and important roles in the salvation of the
people of the earth. He is a revelator and a testator, the means by
which a witness of the truth is obtained. He is a sanctifier, the means
by which filth and dross are burned out of the human soul as though by fire.
One of the highest functions the Holy Ghost serves is to be a sealer, as
the Holy Spirit of Promise. In this capacity he searches the heart, certifies a
person is just, and thereafter seals an exaltation upon that person. That is to
say, to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise is to be sealed unto eternal
life. In commenting on v. 7 in section 132 (regarding all covenants, contracts,
bonds, etc. having the seal of the Holy Spirit of Promise), Elder Bruce R.
McConkie has written:
By way of illustration, this means
that baptism, partaking of the sacrament, administering to the sick, marriage,
and every covenant that man ever makes with the Lord . . . must be performed in
righteousness by and for people who are worthy to receive whatever blessing is
involved, otherwise whatever is done has no binding and sealing effect in
eternity.
Since "the Comforter knoweth all
things" (D&C 42:17), it follows that it is not possible "to lie
to the Holy Ghost" and thereby gain an unearned or undeserved blessing, as
Ananias and Sapphira found out to their sorrow (Acts 5:1-11). And so this
provision that all things must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, if they
are to have "efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from
the dead" (D&C 132:7), the Lord's system for dealing with absolute
impartiality with all men, and for giving all men exactly what they merit, neither
adding to nor diminishing from.
When the Holy Spirit of Promise
places his ratifying seal upon a baptism, or a marriage, or any covenant,
except that of having one's calling and election made sure, the seal is a
conditional approval or ratification; it is binding in eternity only in the
event of subsequent obedience to the terms and conditions of whatever covenant
is involved.
But when the ratifying seal of
approval is placed upon someone whose calling and election is thereby made
sure—because there are no more conditions to be met by the obedient person—this
act of being sealed up unto eternal life is of such transcendent import that of
itself it is called being sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, which means
that in this crowning sense, being so sealed is the same as having one's
calling and election made sure. fn
Without question, one of the most
misunderstood (and misquoted) verses of scripture is D&C 132:26. Some
members of the Church have wrested the scriptures to the point where they have
concluded that a temple marriage alone (which they equate with being sealed by
the Holy Spirit of Promise) will assure them of an exaltation, in spite of
"any sin of the new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of
blasphemies." When it is fully understood, however, that the marriage
ceremony performed in the House of the Lord—though performed by worthy
priesthood bearers granted sacred sealing powers—is a conditional ordinance, a
rite whose eventual blessings are contingent upon the faithfulness (in years to
come) of the participants, then v. 26 is recognized as being consistent with
other related principles—obedience, endurance to the end, and appropriate
reward. Verse 26 has reference to those who have received the new and
everlasting covenant of marriage, have complied with all its conditions, and
have passed the tests of mortality. These are they who, paraphrasing Joseph
Smith, have lived by every word of God, and are willing to serve the Lord at
all hazards. They have made their callings and elections sure to eternal life.
fn Persons who attain to this level of righteousness "are sealed up
against all manner of sin and blasphemy except the blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost and the shedding of innocent blood." fn
The Prophet Joseph Smith extended the
challenging invitation to the Saints: "I would exhort you to go on and
continue to call upon God until you make your calling and election sure for
yourselves, by obtaining this more sure word of prophecy, and wait patiently
for the promise until you obtain it." fn Latter-day Saints who are married
in the temple may thus press forward in the work of the Lord and with quiet
dignity and patient maturity seek to be worthy of the certain assurance of
eternal life before the end of their mortal lives. But should one not formally
receive the more sure word of prophecy in this life, he has the scriptural
promise that faithfully enduring to the end—keeping the covenants and
commandments from baptism to the end of his life (Mosiah 18:8-9) eventuates in
the promise of eternal life, whether that promise be received here or hereafter
(D&C 14:7; cf. 2 Ne. 31:20; Mosiah 5:15).
All men are subject to temptation and
mortal weaknesses and therefore commit some sin, even those whose callings and
elections have been made sure (see D&C 20:32-34; 124:124). Though the
disposition to commit grievous sin would certainly be less among such
individuals, yet the principles of repentance and forgiveness are as highly
treasured by these as by any of our Father's children. At the same time, where much
is given, much is expected and required. Joseph Smith taught: "If men sin
wilfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth
no more sacrifice for sin." fn In the words of a modern apostle:
"Suppose such persons become disaffected and the spirit of repentance
leaves them—which is a seldom and almost unheard of eventuality—still, what
then? The answer is—and the revelations and teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith so recite!—they must then pay the penalty of their own sins, for the
blood of Christ will not cleanse them." fn
When one is guilty of serious
transgression and loses the right to the Spirit and the protective blessings of
the priesthood, he is essentially "delivered unto the buffetings of
Satan" (D&C 132:26), such that "Lucifer is free to torment,
persecute, and afflict such a person without let or hindrance. When the bars
are down, the cuffs and curses of Satan, both in this world and in the world to
come, bring indescribable anguish typified by burning fire and brimstone"
fn (cf. D&C 78:12; 82:20-21; 104:9-10; 1 Cor. 5:1-5).
Once one has been sealed by the Holy
Spirit of Promise, he is in a position to either rise to exaltation or (through
rebellion and apostasy) fall to perdition. Verse 27 has specific reference to
those who have received the new and everlasting covenant of marriage and proven
faithful enough to have the final stamp of approval from the Holy Ghost. One
who has been sealed up unto eternal life and thereafter proves to be a total
enemy to the cause of righteousness is guilty of "shedding innocent
blood," the innocent blood of Christ, and assenting unto his death. fn
Such a vicious disposition would lead the transgressor to reject and crucify
the Son of God afresh (cf. Heb. 6:4-6).
Among the most beautiful and touching
verses in section 132 are vv. 49 and 50, wherein the Lord seals an exaltation
upon the head of Joseph the Seer. What a comfort to a troubled and weary mind
to hear such words as these: "Verily I seal upon you your exaltation, and prepare
a throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your father."
The reader of this revelation is also given a meaningful insight into how to
qualify for such a transcendent promise: "Behold I have seen your
sacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your sacrifices in
obedience to that which I have told you. Go, therefore, and I make a way for
your escape, as I accepted the offering of Abraham of his son Isaac." The
key element in obtaining the promise of exaltation is sacrifice. It was
to the School of the Prophets in the Winter of 1834-35 that Joseph had given
profound counsel: only through the sacrifice of all things could one come to
the point of faith or confidence wherein he could have an actual knowledge that
the course in life he was pursuing was according to the divine will.
"Those, then, who make the sacrifice," the Prophet had taught,
"will have the testimony that their course is pleasing in the sight of
God; and those who have this testimony will have faith to lay hold on eternal
life." fn That principle of truth was now realized and confirmed directly
upon the head of the one who had declared it less than ten years earlier; no
matter what the eventuality, nothing could separate the man of God from the
love of his God. fn
Marriage Among the Ancients (vv. 28-40)
As a type of follow-up on his first
question, Joseph Smith was given additional insights into requirements made of
individuals in ancient times. The Patriarch Abraham was instructed to take
Hagar, the servant of Sarah, as a second wife, in order to bring to pass the
promises made earlier to the Father of the Faithful—that his posterity would be
as numerous as the stars in the heavens or the sands upon the seashore (Gen.
22:17; Abr. 3:14). This modern revelation helps to clarify the Old Testament
story considerably (see Gen. 16), and shows that the decision to take an
additional wife was a God-inspired directive, and not simply a desperate move
by Sarah to insure posterity for her grieving husband. Joseph Smith was told that
because of Abraham's perfect obedience he was granted the privilege of eternal
increase. The Lord then said to Joseph: "This promise is yours also,
because ye are of Abraham, and the promise was made unto Abraham." Then
came the command to Joseph Smith, who had in 1836 received the keys necessary
to become a modern Faither of the Faithful (D&C 110:12): "Go ye,
therefore, and do the works of Abraham; enter ye into my law and ye shall be
saved" (D&C 124:31-32; cf. 124:58).
The Lord further explained that
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had attained godhood because of their implicit
obedience. More specifically, because they only took additional wives as those
wives were given by God, they have entered into their exaltation. David and
Solomon were also given directions (through the legal administrators of their
day) to take additional wives, and enjoyed the approbation of the heavens as
they stayed within the bounds the Lord had set. When they moved outside the
divinely given channel, however, and began to acquire wives and concubines for
selfish or lustful reasons (e.g., David in the case of Bathsheba, 2 Sam. 11;
Solomon in the case of taking "strange women" as wives, women who
"turned away his heart" from the things of righteousness, 1 Kgs. 11),
they offended God and forfeited the eternal rewards that might have been
theirs. Jacob in the Book of Mormon, speaking in behalf of the Lord, warned his
people: "Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines,
which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord" Jacob 2:24). When
both scriptural passages are read together Jacob 2 and D&C 132), it becomes
clear that the Lord was condemning—in no uncertain terms—unauthorized
plural marriages, and not the principle of plurality of wives per se. Later in
that same chapter of Jacob the word of the Lord came: "For if I will,
saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me [through plural marriage] I will
command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things" (Jacob
2:30). Note the words of Joseph Smith as late as October of 1843: "[I]
Gave instructions to try those persons who were preaching, teaching, or
practicing the doctrine of plurality of wives; for, according to the law, I
hold the keys of this power in the last days; for there is never but one on
earth at a time on whom the power and its keys are conferred; and I have
constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time, unless the Lord
directs otherwise." fn
Concerning Adultery (vv. 41-48, 58-62)
Verse 41 of section 132 suggests the
third question that Joseph Smith must have asked of the Lord. In essence, the
question of the Prophet was: "Why were not such polygamous relationships
violations of the law of chastity? Why was this not considered adultery?"
The Lord's answer was simple and forthright, although considerable space was
devoted to the issue in the revelation: any action inspired, authorized, or
commanded of God is moral and good. More specifically, marriages approved of
the Almighty are recognized and acknowledged as sacred institutions, despite
the values or opinions of earth or hell. Joseph wrote in 1839: "How much
more dignified and noble are the thoughts of God, than the vain imaginations of
the human heart!" fn Verse 36 of this section sheds light on this
principle, the idea that whatever God requires is right: "Abraham was
commanded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not
kill. Abraham, however, did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for
righteousness." In a letter written to Nancy Rigdon in 1842, Joseph sought
to explain (albeit in veiled language) the appropriateness of plural marriage
when divinely sanctioned:
Happiness is the object and design of
our existence, and will be the end thereof if we pursue the path that leads to
it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, holiness, and keeping all the
commandments of God. But we cannot keep all the commandments without first
knowing them, and we cannot expect to know all, or more than we now know,
unless we comply with or keep those we have already received. That which is
wrong under one circumstance, may be and often is, right under another. God
said thou shalt not kill,—at another time he said thou shalt utterly destroy.
This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted—by revelation
adapted to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed.
Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see
the reason thereof till long after the events transpire. If we seek first the
In section 132 Emma Smith was
encouraged to submit to the will of the Lord pertaining to her husband—to yield
her heart to the mind of God with regard to the matter of plural marriages.
Obedience would lead to glorious blessings; disobedience would lead to
damnation, for the covenant people are to abide by this "law of the
priesthood" whenever it is specifically given to them by new revelation
through the living prophet.
Summary
We may rest assured that whatever God
reveals is given for the benefit and fulfillment of his children—for their
happiness. Celestial or eternal marriage has been given to man, according to
the word of the Master, in order that man might "multiply and replenish
the earth, according to my commandment, and . . . fulfill the promise which was
given by my Father before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation
in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the
work of my Father continued, that he may be glorified" (D&C 132:63;
cf. v. 31). One of the most popular and important scriptural passages in the
Church is found in the Pearl of Great Price. The Lord explained to Moses the
purpose of creation and existence: "For behold, this is my work and my
glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses
1:39). That the Prophet understood early in his ministry that God's progression
and development was accomplished through the exaltation of his children, is
evident from an early recording of Moses 1:39. Note a variant rendering of this
statement in the Prophet's first draft of the Bible translation: "Behold,
this is my work TO my glory, to the immortality and eternal life of man."
fn In short, God's work—creating worlds without number, peopling them with his
spirit sons and daughters, and providing the truths of the gospel for their
edification and salvation (Moses 1:27-38)—not only benefits his children, but
further glorifies himself. In speaking by the inspiration of the Lord, Joseph
the Prophet explained the following in the famous King Follett Sermon on 7
April 1844:
What did Jesus do? Why; I do the
things I saw my Father do when worlds came rolling into existence. My Father
worked out his kingdom with fear and trembling, and I must do the same; and
when I get my kingdom, I shall present it to my Father, so that he may obtain
kingdom upon kingdom, and it will exalt him in glory. He will then take a
higher exaltation, and I will take his place, and thereby become exalted
myself. So that Jesus treads in the tracks of his Father, and inherits what God
did before; and God is thus glorified and exalted in the salvation and
exaltation of all his children. fn
Notes A New and Everlasting Covenants
1. JD 2:90.
2. Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed.
(Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), pp. 529-30.
3. The minutes of the Davis Stake
Conference, published under "Plural Marriage," in Millennial Star
16:454; cited by Danel Bachman in "New Light on an Old Hypothesis: The
Ohio Origins of the Revelation on Eternal Marriage," Journal of Mormon
History 5 (1978): 22.
4. Robert J. Matthews, A Plainer
Translation: Joseph Smith's Translation of the Bible, A History and Commentary (Provo:
Brigham Young University Press, 1975), pp. 96, 257.
5. HC 5:xxix-xxx.
6. Millennial Star, 9 December
1878, p. 788; cited in Matthews, A Plainer Translation, p. 258.
7. JD 11:221.
8. "Scenes and Incidents in
Nauvoo," Woman's Exponent 10 (1 November 1881): 83.
9. The Historical Record, pp.
225-26; cited in Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjodahl, Doctrine and Covenants
Commentary (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, reprint 1965), pp 820-21.
10. Cited in Lyndon W. Cook, The
Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith (Provo, Ut.: Seventy's Mission
Bookstore, 1981), p. 294.
11. See "New Light on an Old
Hypothesis," pp. 19-32.
12. A concubine was a wife who came
from a position of lower social standing, and who thus did not enjoy the same
status as one of higher birth. Under ancient practice, where caste systems were
much more common than at present, a man could take a slave or non-citizen as a
legal wife, but it was understood that she was of a lower status. This was the
case with Sarah (the first wife) and Hagar (the servant who became a
concubine).
13. TPJS, pp. 300-1.
14. See Bruce R. McConkie,
Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1966-73), 1:604-6; The Mortal Messiah, 4 books (Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1979-81), 3:374-81.
15. TPJS, p. 312.
16. Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, 3:335-36.
17. TPJS, pp. 149-50.
18. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine,
p. 110.
19. TPJS, p. 299.
20. Ibid., p. 128.
21. Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, 3:343.
22. Mormon Doctrine, p. 108.
23. McConkie, Doctrinal New
Testament Commentary, 3:161, 345; The Mortal Messiah, 2:216.
24. Lectures on Faith, Lec. #6, Par.
10.
25. For detail concerning Joseph
Smith receiving the fulness of the priesthood, see Ronald K. Esplin,
"Joseph, Brigham, and the Twelve: A Succession of Continuity," Brigham
Young University Studies 21.3 (Summer 1981): 30141; Andrew F. Ehat,
"Joseph Smith's Introduction of Temple Ordinances and the 1844 Mormon
Succession Question," Unpublished Master's Thesis, Brigham Young
University, 1982.
26. TPJS, p, 324.
27. Ibid., p. 137
28. From Dean C. Jessee, The
Personal Writings of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1984),
pp. 507-9; see also HC 5:134-36; TPJS, pp. 255-57.
29. See Old Testament Manuscript #2
in Matthews, A Plainer Translation, p. 222, emphasis added.
30. TPJS, pp. 347-48.
(Robert L.
Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine
and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 512.)
D&C 132:15-16 – Civil marriage is not in force
when dead. These are appointed angels.
D&C 132:19-20 – If a couple is married by the new
and everlasting covenant of marriage and sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (
a sealer does not do this!, rather it is the power of Elijah that does this).
They come
forth in the 1st resurrection and have all power from God.
(Doctrine and Covenants
132:20.)
20
Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from
everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above
all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because
they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.
(Ephesians 1:12-13.)
12 That we should be to
the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted,
after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom
also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
(Ephesians 4:30.)
30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of
redemption.
Holy Spirit of Promise
The Holy Spirit of Promise is one of
many descriptive name-titles of the Holy Ghost and refers to a specific
function of the Holy Ghost. In John 14:16, the Savior, who had been a comforter
to his disciples, assured them that after his departure into heaven they would
receive another comforter: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you
another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” The next verse speaks
of this Comforter as “the Spirit of truth,” who “dwelleth with you, and shall
be in you” (verse 17). The Lord subsequently identified this promised Comforter
as the Holy Ghost (verse 26). Doctrine and Covenants 88:3 reiterates and
clarifies: “Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my
friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise;
which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is
recorded in the testimony of John.”
The Holy Spirit of Promise is the
power by which ordinances and other righteous acts performed on this earth,
such as baptism and eternal marriage, are ratified, validated, and sealed in
heaven as well as on earth. Paul taught the Ephesians that after acting on
their faith in Christ they “were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,”
which was the surety of their “inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession” (Eph. 1:12-14). The sealing of earthly covenants and
performances is conditional and depends upon the recipient’s personal
commitment and worthiness. If a person who has received the Holy Spirit of
Promise subsequently becomes unrighteous, the seal is broken until full
repentance and forgiveness occur (DS 1:55; 2:94-99).
The necessity of sealing by the Holy
Ghost is emphasized in the following passage: “All covenants, contracts, bonds,
obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations,
that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of
promise,…are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection
from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end
when men are dead” (D&C 132:7). Earthly representatives of the Lord, such
as bishops and elders may be deceived by an unworthy person, but no one can
deceive the Holy Spirit, who will not ratify an ordinance received unworthily.
This safeguard is attached to all blessings and covenants associated with the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
The ultimate manifestation of the
Holy Spirit of Promise is in connection with having one’s calling and election
made sure-that is, receiving “the more sure word of prophecy” testifying that
an individual is sealed up to eternal life (D&C 131:5D&C 131:5). The
Holy Spirit of Promise validates this blessing or seals it upon the person.
Referring to the Holy Spirit of Promise the Lord says, “This Comforter is the
promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the
Bibliography
McConkie, Bruce R. Doctrinal New
Testament Commentary, Vol. 3, pp. 333-37.
(Encyclopedia
of Mormonism, 1-4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan,
1992), 651.)
“I will make an explanation of the
expression, ‘Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise.’ This does not have
reference to marriage for time and all eternity only, but to every ordinance
and blessing of the gospel. Baptism into the Church is sealed by this
Spirit, likewise confirmation, ordination, and all ordinances as well as
marriage for time and all eternity.
“The meaning of this expression is
this: Every covenant, contract, bond, obligation, oath, vow, and performance
that man receives through the covenants and blessings of the gospel is sealed
by the Holy Spirit with a promise. The promise is that the blessing will be
obtained, if those who seek it are true and faithful to the end. If they are
not faithful, then the Holy Spirit will withdraw the blessing, and the promise
comes to an end. [D&C 76:50-54; 88:3-5; 124:124; 132:7; Moses 6:60.]”
(Joseph Fielding Smith, DS 2:94.)
“The Lord . . . said that a man and
wife who are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise shall pass by the angels and
gods that are set there to their exaltation and glory in all things, as has
been sealed upon their heads. [132:19.]
“In an explanation of what it means
to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, one of our brethren said this: ‘While
we receive eternal blessings at the hands of the priesthood which has the right
to seal on earth and it shall be sealed in the heavens, this revelation clearly
states that it must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise also. A man and
woman may by fraud and deception obtain admittance to the House of the Lord and
may receive the pronouncement of the holy priesthood, giving to them so far as
lies in their power these blessings. We may deceive men but we cannot deceive
the Holy Ghost, and our blessings will not be eternal unless they are also
sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. The Holy Ghost is one who reads the
thoughts and hearts of men, and gives his sealing approval to the blessings
pronounced upon their heads. Then it is binding, efficacious, and of full
force.’ “ (Harold B. Lee, IE, December 1970, p. 105.)
(Daniel H.
Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants, 2 vols.
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1978], 1: 661.)
D&C 132:24 – Come to know God, Eternal Lives (posterity), Come to
know God as a parent, by being a parent.
D&C 118 – There were vacancies in the
Quorum of the 12 because of apostasy. 4
needed to be replaced. God will provide
for the families of those who were faithful and were preaching to the world,
verse 3, 6.
(Doctrine and Covenants
118:2-6.)
Verily, thus saith the Lord: Let a conference
be held immediately; let the Twelve be organized; and let men be appointed to
supply the place of those who are fallen.
2 Let my servant Thomas
remain for a season in the
3 Let the residue continue
to preach from that hour, and if they will do this in all lowliness of heart,
in meekness and humility, and long-suffering, I, the Lord, give unto them a
promise that I will provide for their families; and an effectual door shall be
opened for them, from henceforth.
4 And next spring let them
depart to go over the great waters, and there promulgate my gospel, the fulness
thereof, and bear record of my name.
5 Let them take leave of
my saints in the city of Far West, on the twenty-sixth day of April next, on
the building-spot of my house, saith the Lord.
6 Let my servant John
Taylor, and also my servant John E. Page, and also my servant Wilford Woodruff,
and also my servant Willard Richards, be appointed to fill the places of those
who have fallen, and be officially notified of their appointment.
On 8 July, in answer to the query “Show
us thy will, O Lord, concerning the Twelve” (headnote), another revelation, now
Doctrine and Covenants 118, imparted firm direction and new life to the Quorum
of the Twelve. “Let men be appointed to supply the place of those who are
fallen,” declared the revelation (v. 1), which concluded by naming John Taylor,
John E. Page, Wilford Woodruff, and Willard Richards to the Twelve. Thomas
Marsh was to “remain for a season in the
Verse 1 of Doctrine and Covenants
118, given 8 July 1838, announced: “Let a conference be held immediately; let
the Twelve be organized; and let men be appointed to supply the place of those
who have fallen.”
Verse 2 then authorized President
Marsh to remain in
Moreover, if they were thus faithful
they had another promise, that while they were serving abroad, “I will provide
for their families” (v. 3).
Verses 4 and 5 instructed that “next
spring let them [the residue and the new] depart to go over the great waters,
and there promulgate my gospel [in
The revelation closed, with verse 6,
by naming those “appointed to fill the places of those who have fallen”: John
Taylor, John E. Page, Wilford Woodruff, and Willard Richards.
The following day, the apostles, for
the first time in months, held a formal quorum meeting. They agreed to notify
immediately the four new apostles, none of whom were in
But it was not to be. Before the
spring mission, indeed even before existing vacancies could be filled, there
would be two more, one when David Patten was killed during the violence that
soon erupted in northern Missouri, and the other caused by the disaffection of
President Marsh himself, also in some ways a by product of that same Missouri
conflict.
Marsh’s disillusionment and decision
to leave the Church were the result of many factors, having to do with pride,
misunderstanding, hurt feelings, suspicion, and, in Marsh’s own later words,
stubbornness and a loss of the Spirit. Fn Troubled of mind and spirit, feeling
himself wavering, he humbled himself before the Lord in his printing shop long
enough to receive a revelation about what course he should take. After sharing
it with Heber Kimball and Brigham Young, he promptly went out and did the
opposite. Once his face was set, the stubborn, inflexible Thomas was not a man
who could be turned. By removing himself from the Saints he escaped the
violence that soon decimated Far West and drove his coreligionists from
From Liberty Jail, the Prophet named
George A. Smith to fill the vacancy created by the death of Elder Patten, but
Marsh’s position remained vacant for nearly three years. In the meantime, under
the direction of President Brigham Young, now senior apostle, the available
apostles—William Smith was not to be found, Parley Pratt was in prison, Willard
Richards was in England—boldly returned to Missouri, whence they had so
recently escaped, to fulfill the July 1838 revelation (D&C 118:1D&C
118) requiring them to depart 26 April 1839 from “the building-spot of my house”
in Far West.
Enemies had boasted that the
revelation proved Joseph Smith a false prophet because it could not be
fulfilled. So certain were they that no one would attempt it that they did not
even bother to post a guard. Perhaps, under the circumstances, the Lord would “take
the will for the deed,” some Latter-day Saints urged, but Brigham Young and his
associates would not allow even supposed failure to stand as a witness against
Joseph. In the predawn hours they and a small group of Saints sang hymns,
ordained two apostles, laid a symbolic cornerstone, excommunicated dissidents,
and departed before the first surprised anti-Mormon reached the site.
From Far West the apostles returned
to the new city building in
The result of this sacrifice, of
obedience in difficult circumstances, and of diligent efforts to labor together
with unity and harmony was perhaps the most successful single mission in the
history of the Church. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland noted after reading a recent
book on the subject, after this mission, “neither this group of men, the
The rewards for service are many and
often individualized. No doubt each of the apostles received assurances and
blessings fitted to his needs, as suggested by Doctrine and Covenants 82:10: “I,
the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye
have no promise.” Doctrine and Covenants 126, the last section in our story,
simply preserves one example: the knowledge that service is acceptable to the
Lord: “My servant Brigham,” began the revelation, given 9 July 1841, “it is no
more required at your hand to leave your family as in times past, for your
offering is acceptable to me.” Verse 2 affirmed that “I have seen your labor
and toil . . . for my name” and, verse 3: “I therefore command you to send my
word abroad [from now on send, rather than take it], and take especial
care of your family.”
Under Brigham Young, the “new” Quorum
of the Twelve proved competent and fiercely loyal to Joseph and his principles
and rendered extraordinary service at great sacrifice. After shared experiences
in
Throughout his service as president
of the Twelve, Thomas Marsh had thought it his special mission to lead his
quorum in taking the gospel abroad, and the July 1838 revelation (D&C
118:1D&C 118), a few months before his apostasy, reaffirmed that mission.
His 1857 letter to Heber Kimball pleading for readmission revealed that
nineteen years later he still remembered: “I know what I have done a mission
was laid upon me & I have never filled it and now I fear it is too late but
it is filled by another, I see, the Lord could get along very well without me
and He has lost nothing by my falling out of the ranks; But O what have I lost?”
fn
Had Thomas B. Marsh remained faithful
in 1838, he would have led the Quorum of the Twelve to
(Byron R. Merrill
et al., comps., The Heavens Are Open: The 1992 Sperry Symposium on the
Doctrine and Covenants and Church History [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book
Co., 1993], 124.)
Abrahamic
test – Will you do what God asks regardless of your thoughts or feelings otherwise? The 12 fulfilled the prophesy and completed
what God asked them to do in dedicating the temple site at
D&C 119 – Put your money in what you believe
in.
"A Standing Law Forever"
(D&C 119 and 120)
STEPHEN D. RICKS
In response to Joseph Smith's prayer,
"O Lord, show unto thy servants how much thou requirest of the properties
of thy people for a tithing," fn he received on 8 July 1838 at Far West,
Missouri what is now section 119 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Here the Lord
directed the Saints to place their surplus property "into the hands of the
bishop of my church in
Tithing In The Latter-day Church
The words "tithing,"
"tithe," and "tithed" are mentioned several times in the
Doctrine and Covenants prior to section 119. In section 64, for example
(revealed 11 September 1831 at Kirtland, Ohio), the following is recorded:
"Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and
verily it Is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he
that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming" (D&C 64:23).
Similarly, in D&C 97:11-12 (received 2 August 1833) we read: "Yea, let
it [i.e., the
Already before the giving of D&C
119, Joseph and Oliver had promised (in a manner not altogether unlike the
patriarch Jacob in Gen. 28:20-22) to give a tenth to the Lord in fulfillment of
a vow. While suffering because of their debts in 1834, Joseph and Oliver vowed
in solemn prayer to the Lord:
That if the Lord will prosper us in
our business and open the way before us that we may obtain means to pay our
debts; that we be not troubled nor brought into disrepute before the world, nor
His people; after that, of all that He shall give unto us we will give a tenth
to be bestowed upon the poor of His Church, or as He shall command; and that we
will be faithful over that which He has entrusted to our care, that we may
obtain much; and that our children after us shall remember to observe this
sacred and holy covenant; and that our children and our children's children,
may know of the same. fn
This vow was, however, personal, and
not binding on the membership of the Church as a whole.
There are similarities between the
Law of Consecration and certain stipulations in the revelation on tithing in
D&C 119:1-2 (which was revealed in 1838). In the revelation on tithing, the
Saints were directed to place their surplus property "into the hands of
the bishop of my church in
I found the people said they were
willing to do about as they were counselled, but upon asking them about their
surplus property, most of the men who owned land and cattle would say, "I
have got so many hundred acres of land, and I have got so many boys, and I want
each of them to have eighty acres, therefore this is not surplus
property." Again, "I have got so many girls, and I do not believe I
shall be able to give them more than forty acres each." "Well, you
have got two or three hundred acres left." "Yes, but I have a
brother-in-law coming on, and he will depend on me for a living; my wife's
nephew is also coming on, he is poor, and I shall have to furnish him a farm
after he arrives here." I would go on to the next one, and he would have
more land and cattle than he could make us of to advantage. It is a laughable
idea, but is nevertheless true, men would tell me they were young and beginning
in the world, and would say, "We have no children, but our prospects are
good, and we think we shall have a family of children, and if we do, we want to
give them eighty acres of land each; we have no surplus property."
"How many cattle have you?" "So many." "How many
horses, &c?" "So many, but I have made provisions for all these,
and I have use for everything I have got."
Some were disposed to do right with
their surplus property, and once in a while you would find a man who had a cow
which he considered surplus, but generally she was of the class that would kick
a person's hat off, or eyes out, or the wolves had eaten off her teats. You
would once in a while find a man who had a horse that he considered surplus,
but at the same time he had the ringbone, was broken-winded, spavined in both
legs, and had the pole evil at one end of the neck and a fistula at the other,
and both knees sprung. fn
In a similar vein, Orson Pratt said,
"Who in the world among all the Latter-day Saints would have any surplus
property if it is left to his own judgment?" fn Although some may not have
understood or obeyed the principle, the History of the Church records
some three weeks after D&C 119 was revealed that "many of the brethren
. . . consecrated their surplus property according to the revelation." fn
Perhaps because many of the Saints
had difficulty in determining what was "surplus property," thereafter
the "Law of Tithing" (as it was referred to in the "Eleventh
General Epistle of the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints" in 1854) was given, "which required that all should in the
first instance pay one-tenth of their entire property into the Church, and
thereafter pay one-tenth of all their increase; which was for the poor, to
promote the spread of the Gospel among the nations of the earth, support the
ministry, and building of Temples unto the Most High." fn In "An
Epistle of the Twelve Apostles to the Saints of the Last Days," dated 13
December 1841, the Twelve wrote with regard to the proposed temple at Nauvoo
that it should "be built by tithing and consecration, and every one is at
liberty to consecrate all they find in their hearts so to do; but the tithings
required, is one-tenth of all anyone possessed at the commencement of the
building, and one-tenth part of all his increase from that time until the
completion of the same, whether it be money, or whatever he may be blessed
with." fn Those who had nothing else to tithe were expected to donate
every tenth day of labor on the temple. Franklin D. Richards, recounting his
experiences in the building of the Nauvoo temple, said that "the tithing
of the people on that Temple was mostly in labor as I well recollect—for I
worked in the quarry every tenth day when I was not absent on missionary
service." fn
While the Saints are no longer
required to deed their surplus property to the Church, and are no longer
generally expected to tithe their entire property at the outset, the principle
of tithing has remained a significant part of the Church's economic
organization. Whereas today the majority of tithing is given in the form of
cash payments, there were several means of payment in the early years following
the receipt of the revelation in section 119, each of which comprised a
significant percentage of the total tithing contribution. Leonard Arrington,
former Church Historian, has described these various means of donating tithing
in fair detail in
1. Property Tithing. As has
been noted above, this consisted of a ten percent assessment on all property
owned by the member at the time that he began to pay and ten percent of his
annual increase afterwards. This was first required of the Saints in connection
with the construction of the temple at Nauvoo and was reinvoked at the General
Conference in
2. Labor Tithing. Saints were
expected to donate one day of labor in ten for work on various projects, such
as temples and other church buildings, as well as forts, roads, and the like.
As the "Epistle of the Twelve Apostles to the Saints of the Last
Days" noted above makes clear, even if members had insufficient means to
pay other forms of tithing, no able-bodied Saint was to be exempted from labor
tithing. fn However, at least after the removal of the Saints to the West, those
who wished to and had the means could have labor tithing performed by others if
proper compensation were made and the animals used for the work were
maintained. In 1863, when there was difficulty in obtaining sufficient labor
tithing for work on the temple in Salt Lake, Brigham Young noted in an address
in that year that "I immediately put on the work two good mule teams with
a good man to manage each, then I put on two good common laborers to work on
this block; I feed, clothe and pay the men, sustain the teams and keep the
wagons in repair." fn
3. Produce and Stock Tithing.
Somewhat in the tradition of Lev. 27:30-33, tithes were to be paid on all
increase in products of the household, farm, ranch, or mine.
4. Institutional Tithing.
Concerns such as stores and factories were expected to pay a tenth on their
earned profits to the Church. Arrington refers to this tithing as "a kind
of forerunner of the modern corporate profits tax." fn
5. Cash Tithing. During the
nineteenth century, cash payments of tithing represented only a fraction of the
Church's total tithing income. However, cash tithing was particularly
encouraged at that time because of the relative infrequency of its payment and
its easy liquidity outside of the
In what is now section 120 of the
Doctrine and Covenants, the distribution of tithes is made the responsibility
of "a council, composed of the First Presidency of my Church, and of the
bishop and his council, and by mine own high council." Although the
"high council" no longer plays a role in the disbursement of tithes,
both the First Presidency and "the bishop and his council" (more
recently, the Presiding Bishopric) have retained their responsibilities in this
regard. They constitute the Council on the Disposition of Tithes.
Conclusion
The revelation in the Doctrine and
Covenants directs that tithing be "a standing law unto them forever"
(D&C 119:4). Without attempting to determine whether the practice of
tithing is an eternal principle—the position which Brigham Young seems to take
fn—or whether it might be abroagated in favor of a "higher law," such
as the Law of Consecration and Stewardship—the position of Joseph F. Smith
fn—this phrase may, I think, be understood in the sense that, just as tithing
has been observed in previous dispensations, it remains the minimum which the
Lord requires, or will require, of his Saints in this dispensation. It would be
incorrect to assume (as happened in the Christian church in postapostolic
times) that by paying tithes the Christian had fully discharged his obligation
to the Lord and his kingdom. fn The Lord frequently exhorted his followers to
forsake all in order to gain eternal life. While the payment of tithes remains
a significant part of building the Lord's kingdom, it does not exhaust the ways
in which the Saint may expend his means, energy, time, and talents in serving
the Lord's cause.
Notes "A Standing Law Forever"
1. HC 3:44.
2. See Stephen D. Ricks,
"Tithing in Ancient and Modern
3. The Modern English word
"tithe" derives from the Old English teogotha,
"tenth." A similar use of "tithing" in the general sense of
"contribution" can be found in Donald Q. Cannon and Lyndon W. Cook,
eds., Far West Record (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1983), pp.
129-31.
4. HC 2:175.
5. Leonard J. Arrington, Feramorz Y.
Fox, and Dean L. May, Building the City of
6. "Eleventh General Epistle of
the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Millennial
Star 16:27 (8 July 1854), p. 427; for a convenient source for the epistle,
see James R. Clark, ed., Messages of the First Presidency, 6 vols. (Salt
Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-75), 2:139.
7. JD 2:306-7.
8. JD 16:157; cf. JD
17:110.
9. In the entry under the date of
Thursday, 26 July 1838, in HC 3:47.
10. "Eleventh General
Epistle," Clark, Messages of the First presidency, 2:139.
11. "An Epistle of the Twelve
Apostles to the Saints of the Last Days," HC 4:473.
12. JD 23:3 14.
13. The following discussion is
heavily dependent on the description of the various categories of tithing in
Leonard J. Arrington's
14. "Sixth General Epistle of
the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Millennial
Star 14:2 (15 January 1852), p. 25.
15. HC 4:473-74.
16. JD 10:205.
17. Arrington,
18. Ibid., 136-37.
19. Thus, Brigham Young declared,
"The Lord Almighty never had his kingdom on the earth without the law of
tithing being in the midst of his people, and he never will. It is an eternal
law that God has instituted for the benefit of the human family, for their
salvation and exaltation," JD 14:89; cf. JD 15:163.
20. See, e.g., Millennial Star
56 (29 October 1893): 386; see also Conference Report, April 1900, pp.
47-48; Lorenzo Snow, Conference Report, October 1900, pp. 61-62; JD
20:368; Orson Pratt, JD 17:109-10. For further discussion of this topic,
see Robert L. Millet, "The Development of the Concept of Zion in Mormon
Theology," Ph.D. Dissertation,
21. Lukas Vischer, Tithing in the
Early Church (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1966), pp. 10, 30.
(Robert L.
Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine
and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 456.)
D&C 121, 122, 123 – These sections were parts of a
letter written by the Prophet while in
Brigham
Young – Running the church in Nauvoo
Heber C.
Kimball – Running the church in
Ray of Light in an Hour of Darkness
(D&C 121-123)
JAMES R. CHRISTIANSON
Introduction
There are various plausible ways to
analyze or explain events in the life of Joseph Smith. One of these might be
appropriately called "the scheduling of a prophet."
Joseph's life prior to 1820 was
crucial to events that followed that date. Those fifteen years saw him born
into the right family and the correct lineage; living in a pre-determined
location at the proper moment in history, and facing telling circumstances
while immersed in just the right environmental mix. All of these brought him as
scheduled to his appointment with destiny.
The decade after 1820 was equally
vital. These were the formative years. Beginning with the First Vision, his
course in life was remarkably endowed with experiences intended to heighten his
spiritual sensitivity, deepen his understanding of the ways of the Lord,
broaden his grasp of things past, present and future, and increase his capacity
to assimilate truth while warding off evil and enhancing his appreciation of
his role and purpose in life. To accomplish this, the heavens were opened to a
degree perhaps unknown to any other mortal. Among his teachers and learning
models during this period were the Savior; the prophets
The Lord's Spokesman
Aided by Urim and Thummim, an
effective teaching device, this was truly a time of abundant learning for the
boy who metamorphosed into a prophet, the Lord's spokesman. It was this role
that characterized the next period of Joseph's story. From 1830 to 1838, his
life and the lives of his followers were enriched by his words as they flowed
forth, the product of practically every form of revelation or inspiration.
With but few exceptions, the drama of
the twenties was past, but a wide variety of questions were asked and needs
arose, to which Joseph voiced the word and will of the Lord. With the Book of
Mormon published and the priesthood restored, he took action to establish the
Kingdom, firm up its foundation, and expand its borders. "Thus saith the
Lord" was an awaited preamble to much of what the Prophet had to say. It
preceded injunctions as common as where his disciples were to live, how they
were to serve, what they should eat and drink, how they were to teach and rear
their children, and made plain their responsibilities one to another. It
introduced awe-inspiring declarations that defined the eternities both past and
future, detailed dramatic events to precede and accompany the Second Coming,
and described the glorious appearances of such personages as the Savior, Moses,
Elias, and Elijah.
During these years it was the Lord
speaking through Joseph on numerous occasions that fills the pages of much of
the Doctrine and Covenants. It was a time rich with reassurance that he was the
Lord's prophet and that his words and those of no other represented the word
and will of God (D&C 43:1-5).
A Spokesman for the Lord
The next and final phase of Joseph's
mortal experience unfolded during the years 1839 to 1844. As the Lord's
spokesman, Joseph essentially relayed those things seen, heard and felt as the
Spirit directed. It was as though the Lord himself had spoken through Joseph
Smith; hence the words "Thus saith the Lord" or something akin to
them prefaced almost all scriptural statements during the years 1830 to 1839.
The fourth and final period of his life was clearly distinct from the other
three. As a mature, confident prophet, Joseph knew the mind and will of the
Lord and, therefore, spoke for him and his words were as though they had come
directly from Diety. His declarations and writings, were spoken as "one
having authority." Those that have been preserved, both the ones that do
not and some that do appear in the Doctrine and Covenants, are considered among
the most profound, significant, and far-reaching of his teachings. Among such
are the King Follett Discourse, fn the 16 June 1844 discourse on the Godhead fn
and the
The latter references, considered
scripture by the Church, were a significant departure from previously
acknowledged revelations. They are essentially answers to gospel questions in
the case of 130 and 131, while the remainder are letters to the Saints written
during times when Joseph could not communicate directly with them. It is in
these "epistles" that Joseph expressed himself in the full measure of
his calling and was, indeed, the spokesman for the Lord.
The historical setting for three of
these sections (121, 122, and 123) was a cold, wet, dark jail cell in
Forced to flee
Once again, however, as their numbers
increased, misunderstandings arose and conflict soon followed. The battle of
During the five weeks that passed,
from the time he was taken into custody until his confinement at Liberty Jail,
Joseph, along with his fellow prisoners, was subjected to conditions and
circumstances that were both humiliating and degrading. All attempts at
securing a fair hearing were a distortion of justice. This experience, followed
by the long winter months spent in
In a letter penned just two weeks
after his arrival in
And now brethren we say unto you,
what can we enumerate more; is not all manner of evil of every description
spoken against us falsely, yea, we say unto you falsely; we have been
misrepresented and misunderstood and belied and the purity of our hearts have
not been known. And it is through ignorance, yea, the very depth of ignorance
is the cause of it, and not only ignorance but gross wickedness on the part of
some and hypocrisy also who by a long face and sanctified prayers and very pious
sermons had power to lead the minds of the ignorant and unwary and thereby
obtain such influence that when we approached their iniquities the devil gained
great advantage and would bring great sorrow upon our heads and in fine we have
waded through an ocean of tribulation, and mean abuse practiced upon us by the
ill bred and ignorant such as Hinkle, Corrill, and Phelps, Avard, Reed Peck,
Cleminson, and various others who are so very ignorant that they cannot appear
respectable in any decent and civilized society, and whose eyes are full of
adultery and cannot cease from sin. Such characters as McLellin, John Whitmer,
D. Whitmer, O. Cowdery, Martin Harris, who are too mean to mention and we had
liked to have forgotten them. Marsh and Hyde whose hearts are full of
corruption, whose cloak of hypocrisy was not sufficient to shield them or to
hold them up in the hour of trouble, who after having escaped the pollutions of
the world through the knowledge of God and become again entangled and overcome
the latter end is worse than the first. But it has happened unto them according
to the words of the savior, the dog has returned to his vomit, and the sow that
was washed to her wallowing in the mire. fn
As days blended into weeks and weeks
into months, Joseph's naturally forgiving nature reasserted itself, and the
rancur that accompanied his initial period of incarceration faded away. Visits
from loved ones lightened the prisoners' burdens if the news they sometimes
brought did not. By March, the Saints, those free of
A Prophetic Letter
It was under these circumstances on
19 March 1839, that Joseph received letters from Emma, from brothers Don Carlos
and William, and from Edward Partridge. fn Each of the four reported favorably
concerning the welfare of his family and the remainder of the Saints and
expressed hope that they would soon be reunited. Emma's words, especially, must
have touched his heart. Noting her feelings regarding their long separation and
his confinement, she wrote:
Was it not for conscious innocence, and
the direct interposition of divine mercy, I am very sure I never should have
been able to have endured the scenes of suffering that I have passed through,
since what is called the Militia, came into Far West, under the ever to be
remembered Governor's notable order. . . . We are all well at present, except
The following day, the Prophet
composed a long letter addressed to his scattered proselytes in general and to
Bishop Partridge in particular. The writing was sent to Emma with instructions
that she and his extended family should read it first and then share a copy of
it with the Church. Joseph recognized that the document, containing all of what
became sections 121, 122, and 123 of the Doctrine and Covenants, was no
ordinary missive. He felt the inspiration of its wording, as well as the
confidence and power of its message. Hence the instructions on how it was to be
received and shared. fn
The first two pages of the letter
briefly but explicitly detail the sufferings of the Saints at the hands of some
Missourians. "They practice these things upon the saints," he
declared, "who have done them no rong who are inocent and virtuous who
loved the Lord their god and were willing to forsaik all things for Christ sake
these things are awfull to relait but they are verily true it must needs bee
that offences come, but WO! to them by whom they come. O God where art thou and
where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place. . . ." fn The letter
continues with vv. 1-6 of section 121. To the reader it appears that Joseph,
deeply pained by the memories made fresh through his letter's review of the
Missouri experience, turned to one whom he knew and asked, "Why has this
thing happened?" and "Wilt Thou not stand with us?" Having
relieved his pent-up anguish due in part to his own inability to respond to the
needs of his people, the Prophet counseled that their sufferings were but an
expression of the times leading to the Second Coming and, in time, their
detractors would answer for all that they had done.
Following a brief summary of the
fruitless and ill-advised attempts by their lawyers to have their case reviewed
and the recounting of an attempted escape, Joseph noted his joy in receiving
letters from Emma and others, all of which breathed
. . . a kind and consoling spirit we
were much gratified with there contence we had been a long time without
information and when we read those letters they were to our souls as the gentle
air, is refreshing but our joy was mingled with greaf because of the suffering
of the poor and much injured saints and we need not say to you that the flood
gates of our harts were hoisted and our eyes were a fountain of tears but those
who have not been inclosed in the walls of a prison without cause or
provication can have but a little ideah how sweat [sweet] the voice of a friend
is one token of friendship from any sorce whatever a wakens and calles into
action evry simpathetick feeling it brings us in an instant evry thing that is
pased it sesses [siezes] the present with a vivacity of lightning it grasps
after the future with the fearsness of a tiger it rhetrogrades from one thing
to an other untill finally all enmity malice and hatred and past diferances
misunderstandings and mis managements be slain victoms at the feet of hope and
when the hart is sufficiently contrite than the voice of inspiration steals
along and whispers "my son peace be unto thy soul." fn
Verses 7-24 comprise the next portion
of the letter. This inspired and inspiring response, intended as reassurance
for the Saints, clearly assuaged Joseph's troubled spirit as well. His words
following v. 25 convey a degree of understanding not previously evident. God,
he noted, required a tried and purged people. Like Abraham, they had passed
through the refiner's fire.
The Prophet allowed that in his
absence decisions had to be made but warned against the sophistry of aspiring,
foolish, and prideful individuals. "The things of God," he wrote,
"are of deep import; and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous
and solom thought can only find them out. Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a
soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search
into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity—thou
must commune with God." fn
Joseph pursued this theme,
instructing the Saints as to what the Lord expects of those, "called to
hold the keys of the mysteries of those things that have been kept hid from the
foundation of the world until now." He admonished them that "honesty,
and sobriety, and candor, and solemnity, and virtue, and pureness, and
meekness, and simplicity crown our heads in every place; and in fine become as
little children, without malice, guile, or hypocrisy." If after all they
had suffered they would do these things, he wrote, exercising faith and prayer
in the sight of God, "He shall give unto you knowledge by His Holy
Spirit." fn This citation introduces vv. 26-32, which are in turn followed
by a brief statement describing the futility of those whose actions temporarily
misrepresent or distort an accurate reflection of the truth in the same manner
that flood waters pollute the pure and crystal-clear quality of a stream.
In v. 33 Joseph asked, "How long
can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens?" He
then went on to answer these questions, declaring that Governor Boggs of
Missouri and other "renegados, liars, priests, thieves, and
murderers" had "poured down, from their spiritual wickedness in high
places, and from their strongholds of the devil, a flood of dirt and mire and
filthiness and vomit upon our heads." fn This, however, did not signal the
closing of the heavens, but would rather effect a purging and cleansing of the
Church. All Hell, he testified,
may poor forth its rage like the
burning lavy of
With this, plus a request for news
from various Church leaders and any who cared to write, the letter was
concluded and signed by each of the prisoners: Joseph, Hyrum, Lyman Wight,
Caleb Baldwin, and Alexander McRae.
Having apparently reviewed and
corrected his epistle and possibly after re-reading the correspondence from
Emma and others, Joseph determined that he had more to say. After once again
enlisting the services of Alexander McRae as scribe, he proceeded to dictate
several additional pages.
Addressing himself to the desperate
need for a site where his people might gather, Joseph encouraged Bishop
Partridge and other leading brethren to pursue the land offer extended by Isaac
Galland. He was impressed that Galland was genuinely interested in the welfare
of the Church members. He was likewise hopeful that the Governor, Attorney
General, and United States Surveyor for the State of
It was, he noted, deeply impressed
upon his and his companions' minds that any door opened might be viewed as an
act of providence for which the Church must be both ready and worthy. The
"terrible storms." and "thick darkness" as spoken of by the
prophets were not far off and great care must be taken "lest you grieve
the holy spirit which shall be poured out at all times upon your heads when you
are exercised with those principals of ritiousness that are agreeable to the
mind of God." fn
These principles would be violated,
Joseph warned, should "there be any among you who aspire after their own
aggraundisement and seek their own oppulance while their brethren are groping
in poverty." Care should be given, he wrote that their hearts not be open
to "such high mindedness." Otherwise a condition would prevail
wherein "there are many called but few are chosen." fn
At this point, the letter proclaimed
the exquisite discourse that comprises the last twelve verses of section 121.
Here Joseph speaks with an authority and clarity that is distinctive and sets
this segment of his epistle apart from the thoughts which introduce it. It has
been said of the Prophet that at times he out-transcended the prominent
transcendentalists of his day: Emerson, Thoreau, Alcott, and Parker. Surely
this was one of those occasions.
Section 122 takes up where 121 ends,
and though directed to the Saints, it is given as an individual experience—most
likely a burst of insight or comprehension which came as he dictated the
letter, all the while pondering past events that made it necessary and the
circumstances from which it was emerging. It is, nevertheless, stated in a
manner that each member upon reading it or hearing it read could identify with
its message in a personal way. Though included here, it is closely identified
with those parts of the letter which now appear as vv. 1-25 of section 121. The
following lines appear immediately after the last verse of section 122:
Now Brotheren, I would sejest for the
consideration of the conference of its being carefully and wisely understod by
the council or conference that our brethren scattered abroad who understand the
spirit of the gethering that they fall into the places of refuge and safty that
God shall open unto them between Kirtland and
This passage is valuable not only for
what it contains but also for the stark comparison it reveals between the words
of the Prophet when, as on this occasion, he addressed a highly spiritual
matter and then turned to one of more secular significance. Extracted from the
original it also exposes the weakness that characterized the language and
writing skills of both Joseph and his scribe, Alexander McRae. The letter was
edited before it was published in the Times and Seasons in May, 1840. The
excerpting of those portions that became sections 121, 122, and 123 was by
Orson Pratt in 1876.
Section 123 follows the above
excerpt. The letter is then concluded with an appeal to the Saints to avoid
secret oaths and organizations of every kind. Referring to the "wickedness
of Doctor Avard," he asked that "our covenant be that of the
everlasting covenant" and added that "pure friendship always becomes
weakened the very moment you undertake to make it stronger by penal oaths and
secrecy." fn
In closing, Joseph declared that the
allegiance of the Saints should be to God and to the Constitution. On this
subject after all that he and the Saints had endured, he testified boldly:
We say that the constitution of the
Unit[ed] States is a glorious standard it is founded [in] the wisdom of God it
is a heavenly banner it is to all those who are privileged with the sweats of
its liberty like the cooling shades and refreshing watters of a greate rock in
a thirsty and a weary land it is like a greate tree under whose branches men
from every clime can be shielded from the burning rates of an inclement sun. We
bretheren are deprived of the protection of this glorious principal by the
cruelty of the cruele by those who only look for the time being for pasterage
like the beasts of the field only to fill themselves and forget that the
mormons as well as the pr[e]sbitareans and those of every other class and
discription have equal rights to partake of the fruit of the great tree of our
national liberty but notwithstanding we see what we see and we feel what [we]
feel and know what we know yet that fruit is no les precious and delicious to
our taist we cannot be weaned from the milk nether can we be drawn from the
breast neither will we deny our relegeon because of the hand of oppresion but
we will hold on untill death we say that God is true that the constitution of
the United States is [true] that the Bible is true that the book of [mor]m[on]
is true and [that we know] that we have an house not made [with hands] eternal
in the heavens, whose [builder and m]aker is God. fn
Hence in one of the darkest moments
of his life, the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote a letter that has lighted the way
and has enlightened the lives of generations of individuals who, while they
honor his name and cherish his memory, more fully worship their God and his
Christ because of what he shared with them from a cold and forbidding jail cell
in Missouri.
Notes A Ray of Light in an Hour of Darkness
1. HC 6:303-17.
2. Ibid., pp. 473-79.
3. Ibid., 3:1.
4. Dean C. Jessee, ed., The
Personal Writing of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company,
1984), pp. 360-430. Sources cited in this collection retain original spelling
and punctuation. Built in 1833 at a cost of $600, the jail at
5. "Joseph Smith to the Church
in
6. Ibid., pp. 380-81.
7. Ibid., p. 389. Also HC
3:272-74.
8. "Emma Smith to Joseph
Smith," 7 March 1839,
9. "Joseph Smith to Emma
Smith," 21 March 1839,
10. "Joseph Smith to the
11. Ibid., pp. 393-94.
12. HC 3:295.
13. Ibid., p. 296.
14. Ibid., p. 297.
15. Jessee, The Personal Writings
of Joseph Smith, pp. 398-99.
16. Ibid., p. 401.
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid., p. 403-4.
19. Ibid., p. 405. Samson
Avard was founder of the variously named Danite Band in
20. Ibid., pp. 406-7.
(Robert L.
Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine
and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 463.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
121:25-29.)
25 For there is a time
appointed for every man, according as his works shall be.
26 God shall give unto you
knowledge by his Holy Spirit, yea, by the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost,
that has not been revealed since the world was until now;
27 Which our forefathers
have awaited with anxious expectation to be revealed in the last times, which
their minds were pointed to by the angels, as held in reserve for the fulness
of their glory;
28 A time to come in the
which nothing shall be withheld, whether there be one God or many gods, they
shall be manifest.
29 All thrones and
dominions, principalities and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all
who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If we
endure valiantly we receive a great reward, but as verse 37 shows, we are not
chosen because our hearts are set on the things of the world.
(Doctrine and Covenants
121:41-44.)
41 No power or influence
can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion,
by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
42 By kindness, and pure
knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without
guile—
43 Reproving betimes with
sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards
an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to
be his enemy;
44 That he may know that
thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.
Not only
priesthood but parenthood is our calling in mortality, and qualifies us for
what we should have. Reprove with
sharpness means to be calm but have precision and clarity.
(Doctrine and Covenants
101:16.)
16
Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning
We can’t
know God in hurried lives.
Meditation in the
Consider these interesting verses
from the New Testament:
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great
multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people,
and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands;
And cried with a loud voice, saying,
Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
And one of the elders answered,
saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence
came they?
And I said unto him, Sir, thou
knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation,
and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation
7:9-10, 13-14.)
The Lord said in the Old Testament,
and again to the Prophet Joseph Smith (Psalm 46:10 and D&C 101:16), “Be
still, and know that I am God.” There is such a thing as learning to listen
spiritually. There is such a thing as having pure intelligence poured into the
mind. In the temple the meditation and contemplation that comes from a quietly
observed reverence frequently results in such a pouring-in of intelligence and
spiritual learning. And no small part of the atmosphere that makes this
possible is the temple clothing and the spirit in which the wearer views it.
It may seem to some to be a very bold doctrine that we talk
of—a power which records or binds on earth and binds in heaven. Nevertheless,
in all ages of the world, whenever the Lord has given a dispensation of the
priesthood to any man by actual revelation, or any set of men, this power has
always been given. (D&C 128:9.)
(Boyd K.
Packer, The Holy Temple [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1980], 79.)
When Elder Hinckley was called to the
First Presidency, all three of its members had serious physical problems,
although their mentality was unimpaired: President Kimball, in addition to
long-standing heart, throat, and other problems, had undergone two recent
operations for subdural hematomas; President Tanner suffered from Parkinson’s
disease and was losing his sight; and President Romney was quite feeble and
practically blind. Thus the responsibility to carry on the day-to-day work of
the First Presidency fell largely on President Hinckley, acting under
delegations of authority from the prophet. That responsibility increased
markedly when President Tanner died on November 27, 1982, and President
Hinckley became chairman of the Budget Committee, the Personnel Committee, and
the Investment Committee. These added responsibilities had a crushing effect at
first, causing weariness and a sense of oppression at the ever-mounting
problems. The crisis came to a head in February 1983, when one morning, upon
entering his office and seeing the large volume of paperwork on his desk,
President Hinckley fell to his knees and implored God for strength and
direction. In answer there came into his mind the words “Be still and know that
I am God” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:16), and with that came a calm assurance
that the problems would be solved in time and one at a time.
During the years President Hinckley
served as a counselor to President Spencer W. Kimball, he walked a fine line.
He was careful not to exceed the limits of his delegated authority. Yet he was
unwilling to allow the Church to drift or stagnate. As a result, several major
initiatives were undertaken that originated with him but were endorsed and
authorized by President Kimball.
(Francis M.
Gibbons, Dynamic Disciples, Prophets of God: Life Stories of the Presidents
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1996], 334 – 335.)
John H. Groberg, In the Eye of the
Storm, p.114
I reflected
on the scripture, “Be still and know that I am God” (D&C 101:16; Psalm
46:10). I had always thought of that scripture as a statement to watch for His
salvation after we had done all we could. Now I looked upon it more as a
commandment, or better, an invitation and explanation of truth: “Be still (sit
quietly, get rid of outside pressures-go to the temple, for example-don’t worry
about this world) and know that I am God.” Or: “Be still so you can know that I
am God and so you can learn of Me and My ways.” If we aren’t willing to be
still, it’s harder to know that He is God. If the purpose of life is to know
and love God, then maybe one of Satan’s best weapons to keep us from that
knowledge is to keep us so busy, even doing good things, and so occupied with
commitments and pressures that we don’t allow ourselves to be still so we can
know that God is God!
Andrew Skinner,
Even Pilate
was “surprised at the submissive yet majestic demeanor of Jesus” (Talmage,
Jesus the Christ, 633). Modern disciples also marvel at Jesus’ meekness. He
took what was dished out. He exercised poise in the face of provocation. He
suffered silently, knowing, as many in our day know, that sometimes silence can
be the only response to trials, tribulations, and hardships. Others will not,
cannot, understand. Some will not care. A few might even be inclined to think
we had brought on the misery ourselves. But there is One with whom we have
fellowship, One who knows silent suffering, One who hurts when we hurt, because
he experienced the hurt before we did. Perhaps, it is in these moments of
silent suffering and submissive meekness that we come to know God best, the
time when He tutors us the most. After all, did not he who knows all things
make the link between silence and the knowledge of his existence and power-in
two separate dispensations, in fact? “Be still, and know that I am God,” he
declared (Psalm 46:10; D&C 101:16). If we try as hard as we can to endure
our trials well, reviling not when we are reviled, assailing not when we are
assailed, rendering not evil for evil or railing for railing, suffering
silently without murmuring, whining, or feeling sorry for ourselves, then God
will exalt us on high (1 Peter 2:23; 3:9; D&C 121:8).
D&C 124 – Members of the 12 head to
Revelations in Nauvoo
(D&C 124-126)
ROBERT A. CLOWARD
The three sections labeled
revelations from the Nauvoo period all came in 1841. By the summer of that
year, the little town of
After escaping from oppressive
captors during a change of venue from
On 29 October 1839, the Prophet left
Commerce with Sidney Rigdon and Judge Elias Higbee to seek redress from the
Federal Government for the wrongs committed against the members of the Church
in
The Saints, however, were doing
something for themselves. Their industry and determination were making of
Commerce, renamed Nauvoo by the Prophet, a prosperous city, soon to be the
largest in
This scene of vigorous activity was
the backdrop for the revelations known as sections 124, 125, and 126. They
contain the Lord's instructions on a wide variety of topics of concern to the
Prophet and to the Church. Section 124, received 19 January 1841, is the
longest of all the published revelations. Before discussing it, I will briefly
comment on sections 125 and 126, which contain just four and three verses
respectively.
A Revelation for the Saints in
Shortly after the purchase of
In August, 1841, a stake conference
was held at Zarahemla, "and the branches in Iowa, so far as represented,
consisted of 750 members." fn By the time of the exodus in 1846, the
Saints had exerted a major influence on the growth of the territory, and cities
had been developed at Montrose, Zarahemla, Ambrosia, Augusta, Nashville, and
Keokuk.
A Revelation for Brigham Young
Section 126 was received by the
Prophet in the house of Brigham Young at Nauvoo. fn With the other members of
the Quorum of the Twelve, Brigham Young had been called by revelation in 1838
to preach the gospel in
On 1 July 1841, President Young, with
Heber C. Kimball end John Taylor, returned to Nauvoo from their labors. The
revelation, given a little over a week later on 9 July, began with the Lord's
tender address, "Dear and well-beloved brother, Brigham Young"
(D&C 126:1). "My servant Brigham," the Lord continued, "it
is no more required at your hand to leave your family as in times past, for
your offering is acceptable to me" (D&C 126:1). As President of the
Quorum of the Twelve, Brigham Young was directed to remain in Nauvoo and to
"send" the Lord's word abroad (D&C 126:3).
The significance of the command to remain
at Nauvoo became clear in the general conference of the following month. Prior
to this time, the Twelve had served mainly as a traveling council. At the
afternoon conference session of 16 August 1841, Joseph Smith announced
"that the time had come when the Twelve should be called upon to stand in
their place next to the First Presidency, and attend to the settling of
emigrants and the business of the Church at the stakes, and assist to bear off
the kingdom victoriously to the nations, and as they had been faithful, and had
borne the burden in the heat of the day, that it was right that they should
have an opportunity of providing something for themselves and families."
fn By setting them "in their place next to the First Presidency," the
Prophet was preparing the way for the Twelve, with Brigham Young as President
to preside over the Church at the time of his death.
Make a Solemn Proclamation
In his preface to the Doctrine and
Covenants, the Lord announced in 1831 that the weak and simple would proclaim
the fulness of the gospel "unto the ends of the world, and before kings
and rulers" (D&C 1:23). Ten years later, he commanded that such a
proclamation be made in writing. The time had come to call upon rulers and
governments to give heed to the light and glory of
The fact that the Lord had given a
commandment by no means guaranteed the facilitation of its fulfillment. Robert
B. Thompson, named to help Joseph Smith with the writing (D&C 124:12), died
before the end of the year, fn and John C. Bennett, named to assist in the
promulgation of the proclamation (D&C 124:16), fell into apostasy. fn The
completion of the project continued to concern the Prophet until the time of
his death. fn
A year after the martyrdom, Parley P.
Pratt composed a document under the direction of the Twelve Apostles entitled,
"PROCLAMATION of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. To all the Kings of the World; To the President of the
United States of America; To the Governors of the several States; And to the
Rulers and People of all Nations." It was published in
The Lord's command to make a solemn
proclamation has had a continuing fulfillment. The bold missionary thrust of
the Church for more than one and one-half century, spreading the message of the
restored gospel throughout the world, is a response to the Lord's instruction.
At the One Hundred Fiftieth Annual General Conference, commemorating the
Sesquicentennial anniversary of the organization of the Church, Elder Gordon B.
Hinckley read a new proclamation, entitled, "Proclamation From the First
Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints." Broadcast from the reconstructed Peter Whitmer, Sr.
farmhouse at the site of the organization of the Church, this bold statement recounted
the events of the restoration and witnessed to the divine destiny of the
Church, inviting all to heed the message of the missionaries and accept the
truth. It concluded:
We call upon all men and women to
forsake evil and turn to God; to work together to build that brotherhood which
must be recognized when we truly come to know that God is our Father and we are
his children; and to worship him and his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior
of mankind. In the authority of the Holy Priesthood in us vested, we bless the
seekers of truth wherever they may be and invoke the favor of the Almighty upon
all men and nations whose God is the Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
fn
Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen
Throughout section 124, the Lord
revealed his will and counsel to individuals at Nauvoo. Even a brief
consideration of the blessings offered these men and their subsequent lives
provides a lesson on the contingent nature of the Lord's promises. "When
we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it
is predicated" (D&C 130:21). Many of these men were commended by the
Lord and received great promises, but they subsequently forfeited them through
sin and apostasy. fn
For example, John C. Bennett was
assigned by the Lord to stand by Joseph Smith in the hour of affliction,
"and his reward shall not fail if he receive counsel. And for his love he
shall be great, for he shall be mine if he do this, saith the Lord. I have seen
the work which he hath done, which I accept if he continue, and will crown him
with blessings and great glory" (D&C 124:16-17). Bennett's apostasy
has already been mentioned above. The two "if" statements defined the
contingent nature of the Lord's promises to him: "if he receive counsel"
and "if he continue." He did neither, and his blessing was lost.
Similarly, the Lord extended to Lyman
Wight a beautiful blessing: "And I will bear him up as on eagles' wings;
and he shall beget glory and honor to himself and unto my name. That when he
shall finish his work I may receive him unto myself" (D&C 124:18-19).
Faithful for a time, and even called to the Apostleship, Lyman Wight later
rejected the leadership of the Twelve and published a pamphlet in 1848 denying
their authority. He was excommunicated from the Church. Likewise, George
Miller, Isaac Galland, William Law, Robert D. Foster, and Sidney Rigdon did not
endure in their faith.
Of those who remained true to the
church, mention may be made of Vinson Knight and Hyrum Smith. To Vinson Knight
the Lord said, "and I will accept of his offerings, for they shall not be
unto me as the offerings of Cain, for he shall be mine, saith the Lord. Let his
family rejoice and turn away their hearts from affliction; for I have chosen
him and anointed him, and he shall be honored in the midst of his house, for I
will forgive all his sins, saith the Lord" (D&C 124:74-76). And to
Hyrum Smith, "blessed is my servant Hyrum Smith; for I, the Lord, love him
because of the integrity of his heart, and because he loveth that which is
right before me, saith the Lord" (D&C 124:15). Both of these men later
met death in
Priesthood Organization
Verses 123-45 of section 124 list the
officers of the Church. Deaths, apostasy, and other developments had made some
reorganization necessary. Of great significance among these changes was the
call of Hyrum Smith to serve as patriarch in the place of his deceased father,
Joseph Smith, Sr. (v. 124). fn The First Presidency, as revealed earlier in
this revelation, was to consist of Joseph Smith, Jr., Sidney Rigdon, and
William Law, with William Law filling the vacancy left by the calling of Hyrum
Smith to be patriarch. Brigham Young was named president over the Twelve, and
the vacancy in that quorum brought about by the death of David Patten at the
Battle of Crooked River in 1838 remained open for the time being.
It is significant to note that the
language of the Lord in this revelation concerning callings was: "I give
unto you [name] to be [calling]." In all cases, two principles were upheld
by the Lord: (1) the agency of the person called (note the phrase "if he
will receive it" in the naming of Shadrach Roundy for the bishopric), and
(2) the law of common consent (note v. 144: "And a commandment I give unto
you, that you should fill all these offices and approve of those names which I
have mentioned, or else disapprove of them at my general conference").
The Lord's Boarding House
Much of section 124 deals with the
building of a boarding house in Nauvoo (vv. 22-24, 56-83, 111-22). To some it
may seem curious that the plans for a hotel, complete with trustees, investment
policy, and a list of potential stockholders would be received by revelation
from God, but the Nauvoo House was intended to play an important role in his
work.
The revelation is clear as to the
sacred nature of this hotel. The Lord commanded that it be built "unto his
name" (vv. 22, 24, 56). He called it "my boarding house," and
added, "let my name be named upon it" (v. 56). The governor of the
house was not to allow it to be polluted: "It shall be holy, or the Lord
your God will not dwell therein" (v. 24). fn This is an excellent example
of the principle revealed in D&C 29:34: "Wherefore, verily I say unto
you that all things unto me are spiritual." In an earlier dispensation,
Zechariah had prophesied of sacred things in another holy city: "In that
day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and
the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea,
every pot in
The building of a hotel must be
associated with the command given to Joseph Smith to make a proclamation to
kings and governors. The Lord indicated that the hearts of many of them would
be softened, and his challenge to them was stirring: "Awake, O kings of
the earth! Come ye, O. come ye, with your gold and your silver, to the help of
my people, to the house of the daughters of
The Nauvoo House was also intended as
a residence for Joseph Smith and his descendants (the right of stockholders
would be passed to their heirs), and as a place where people who came to the
city could receive counsel from those whom the Lord had designated as
"plants of renown" (see Ezek. 34:29; cf. Isa. 60:21; 61:3) and as
"watchmen upon her walls" (see Isa. 62:6). All this was part of the
far-ranging plan for the gathering place of the Church.
Joseph Smith continually urged the
Saints to complete the construction of the Nauvoo House. He, more than many,
envisioned the significance of the project. Typical of his exhortations on the
matter is the reference in a sermon given at the General Conference meeting of
6 April 1843: "It is not right that all the burden of the Nauvoo House
should rest on a few individuals; and we will now consider the propriety of
sending the Twelve to collect means for it. There has been too great a
solicitude in individuals for the building of the
Two principles of the Lord's work may
be learned from the Nauvoo House revelation. First, there is a permanence of
perspective in the Lord's work. He knew, of course, that the Saints would soon
be driven from Nauvoo, yet he required of them undertakings which looked
forward "from generation to generation." His kingdom is not a
temporary one. Second, to establish his kingdom, the Lord requires temples, but
he also requires hotels. Spiritual principles and ordinances are complemented
by temporal affairs in his work.
The
Beginning with
The first command to build a temple
had come to the Prophet Joseph Smith in July 1831 (D&C 57:1-3). This was to
be the temple in the center place of
The
Section 124 contains instructions on
the building of the temple in Nauvoo (vv. 25-48, 55). The Lord promised Joseph
Smith: "And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name,
that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people; For I deign to reveal
unto my church . . . things that pertain to the dispensation of the fulness of
times. And I will show unto my servant Joseph all things pertaining to this
house, and the priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be
built" (D&C 124:40-42).
Perhaps sensing that he would not
live to see the
The construction of the
In section 124, the Lord taught a
principle by which the Saints could know if their work was acceptable to him.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, that when I give a commandment to any of
the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all
their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their
diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing
that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of
those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings" (v. 49). On this
basis, the Lord said that he had accepted the offerings of the faithful people
whom he had first commanded to build the temple at Jackson County, Missouri.
They could be consoled that the Lord would not hold them responsible for
failing to build the temple there in the midst of their persecutions.
Enemies of the Church were determined
to halt or prevent the work on the
Before leaving Nauvoo, Brigham Young
and the Twelve Apostles met in the still uncompleted structure. Brigham Young
wrote of that occasion: "I met with the Council of the Twelve in the
southeast corner room of the attic of the
A special crew of workers remained
behind in Nauvoo to complete the construction. Orson Hyde, representing the
Twelve, was to oversee this work. By mid-April 1846, public dedications were
announced for the first three days of May. On 30 April, the day before the
public dedications began, a private dedication was held, which Wilford Woodruff
described in his journal as follows: "In the evening of this day I
repaired to the
Their offering was acceptable to God,
and the workmen joined the remainder of the Saints in
Considering the
Notes Revelations in Nauvoo
1. B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive
History of The
2. HC 3:319-21. Of this escape
from their intoxicated guard, Hyrum Smith poignantly said, "we took our
change of venue for the state of
3. Ibid., 3:375.
4. Ibid., 4:80.
5. Ibid., 4:268.
6. HC 3:378. See also Lyndon
W. Cook, "Isaac Galland—Mormon Benefactor," Brigham Young
University Studies 19.3 (Spring 1979): 268-84.
7. HC 4:12.
8. Ibid., p. 399.
9. Ibid., p. 382.
10. See James B. Allen and Malcolm R.
Thorp, "The
11. HC 4:403.
12. Ibid., p. 411.
13. Ibid., 5:71-82.
14. Ibid., 4:483-84; 6:79-80,
176-77.
15. James R. Clark, comp., Messages
of the First Presidency, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-75),
1:252-53.
16. Conference Report, April
1980, p. 77; Ensign, May 1980, p. 53.
17. For helpfuls biographical
information on each man named in section 124, see Lyndon W. Cook, The
Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith (Provo: Seventy's Mission
Bookstore, 1981), pp. 251-81.
18. Note that in v. 95 Hyrum Smith
was also to be "crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and
priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood that once were put upon him that was my
servant Oliver Cowdery." Oliver Cowdery had been excommunicated for apostasy
12 April 1838 at
19. Compare the similar injunction
for temples in D&C 97:15-17.
20. HC 5:329.
21. Ibid., 6:230.
22. See approaches to the definition
of "temple" in Richard O. Cowan, "
23. The revelation in D&C 95:8-9
was given on 1 June 1833. The mob in April (see HC 1:342). On 23 July
1833, the cornerstones of the
24. JD 2:3 1.
25. In remarks to the Relief Society
on 28 April 1842, Joseph Smith "spoke of delivering the keys of the
Priesthood to the Church, and said that the faithful members of the Relief
Society should receive them in connection with their husbands, that the Saints
whose integrity has been tried and proved faithful, might know how to ask the
Lord and receive an answer; for according to his prayers, God had appointed
him elsewhere" HC 4:604 (italics added); see also TPJS,
p. 226.
26. HC 5:2; TPJS, p.
237.
27. Ibid.
28. Ibid., 4:186, see also
ibid., 4:205.
29. Ibid., 5:423.
30. Francis M. Gibbons, Brigham
Young, Modern Moses, Prophet of God (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1981), p. 109.
31. Lyndon W. Cook, The
Revelations, p. 250.
32. HC 7:580.
33. Matthias F. Cowley, Wilford
Woodruff (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1964), p. 247.
34. Andrew K. Larsen, Erastus Snow
(Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1971), p. 96, cited in Lisle G
Brown, "The Sacred Departments for Temple Work in Nauvoo: The Assembly
Room and the Council Chamber," Brigham Young University Studies 19.3
(Spring 1979): 361-74.
35. Quoted in Helen Mar Whitney,
"Scenes in Nauvoo, and Incidents from H. C. Kimball's Journal" (entry
for "Friday, January 2nd, 1846") Woman's Exponent 12.8 (15
September 1883): 58, cited in Don F. Colvin, "A Historical Study of the
Mormon Temple at Nauvoo, Illinois," unpublished master's thesis, Brigham
Young University, 1962, p. 160.
36. Boyd K. Packer, The
(Robert L.
Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine
and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 476.)
D&C
124:15 – Hyrum Smith is blessed because of the integrity of his heart.
D&C
124:22-24 – Build the Nauvoo Hotel
D&C 124:25 – Saints are to come to Nauvoo and
build a temple to restore the fulness of the priesthood.
D&C
124:29-32 – Baptism for the Dead as a temple ordinance. This links the family, given line upon line.
Directions to Build the
On 19 January 1841, approximately one
month after the governor of Illinois signed charters providing guidelines for
establishing Nauvoo, Joseph Smith unfolded a revelation (D&C 124) of “monumental
importance . . . because its fulfillment engaged nearly every waking moment of
the Prophet’s time until his death” [Cook, Revelations, p. 243). This
revelation dealt with the building of Nauvoo in general but gave particular
emphasis to the construction of the temple.
The Prophet testified that the basic
design for the
The January 1841 revelation declared
that the ordinance of baptism for the dead should be performed in the Lord’s
house and that he had temporarily allowed the Saints to perform this ordinance
outside the temple (such as in the Mississippi River) only in the days of their
poverty. He therefore commanded them to provide an appropriate font in the
temple. He would grant them “a sufficient time” to accomplish that, curing
which period he would continue to accept the baptisms performed in the river
(D&C 124:32D&C 124:25-32).
The Saints took this revelation
seriously, so they hastened the construction of the temple. On 2 October 1841
the Prophet emphatically declared: “There shall be no more baptisms for the
dead, until the ordinance can be attended to in the Lord’s house; and the
Church shall not hold another general Conference, until they can meet in said
house. For thus saith the Lord!” (History of the Church, 4:426).
Soon, the temple basement was covered over, and on November 8, Joseph Smith
dedicated a temporary wooden font there. On Sunday, November 21, a large
congregation gathered in the temple basement to witness the first baptisms for
the dead in this new font. Elders Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and John
Taylor baptized about forty persons in behalf of their ancestors. Elders
Willard Richards, Wilford Woodruff, and George A. Smith performed the
confirmation ordinances. Thereafter, the Prophet and members of the Twelve
frequently officiated in the temple (History of the Church, 4:446-47,
454, and 486).
(Milton V.
Backman, Jr. and Richard O. Cowan, Joseph Smith and the Doctrine and
Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1992], 129.)
Old
Testament – Book of Moses
Between the
burning bush and Moses going back on his mission to
Exodus 3 – The Lord appears to Moses at a
burning bush, His father in law Jethro is a high priest from Abraham’s line.
LINE OF ORDINATION OF MOSES
In the 84th section, the
order of descent of the Priesthood is continued, and these facts are learned:
Moses received the Priesthood from
Jethro, his father-in-law. It will be observed that Jethro was not an
Israelite, but a Midianite, yet he held the Priesthood. The Bible does not tell
us much in regard to the Midianites or other nations as pertaining to
Priesthood and their standing before the Lord. Jethro, who was a descendant of
Abraham, evidently was entitled to the Priesthood and so, we may believe, were
others among his people. Jethro received the Priesthood from Caleb, and Caleb
received the Priesthood from Elihu, and Elihu under the hand of Jeremy, and
Jeremy under the hand of Gad who received it from Esaias who lived in the days
of Abraham. From this information it would appear that Moses received his
Priesthood outside of the tribes of
(Joseph
Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection [Salt Lake City: Genealogical
Society of Utah, 1949], 76.)
LORD =
Jehovah
Lord =
Hebrew word for lord
lord = Man
or false deity
KJV: God = Elohim (Hebrew a generic term for God,
god or gods)
The Old
Testament is not clear about the various titles for God or Christ; there is an
intermixing between them. There wasn’t
much distinction between the Father and the Son. Even in appearance they were identical. Joseph couldn’t tell the difference until the
Father introduced the Son.
(Deuteronomy 10:12, 17.)
12 ¶ And now, Israel, what
doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in
all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart
and with all thy soul,
17 For the LORD your God is
God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which
regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is “the
express image” of His Father’s person (Hebrews 1:3). He walked the earth as a
human being, as a perfect man, and said, in answer to a question put to Him: “He
that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). This alone ought to solve
the problem to the satisfaction of every thoughtful, reverent mind. The
conclusion is irresistible, that if the Son of God be the express image (that
is, likeness) of His Father’s person, then His Father is in the form of man;
for that was the form of the Son of God, not only during His mortal life, but
before His mortal birth, and after His resurrection. It was in this form that
the Father and the Son, as two personages, appeared to Joseph Smith, when, as a
boy of fourteen years, he received his first vision. Then if God made man—the
first man—in His own image and likeness, he must have made him like unto
Christ, and consequently like unto men of Christ’s time and of the present day.
That man was made in the image of Christ, is positively stated in the Book of
Moses: “And I, God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the
beginning, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and it was so. * *
* And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten
created I him, male and female created I them” (2:26, 27).
(James R.
Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-75), 4:
202.)
Moses goes
up to
(Exodus 3:7.)
7
¶ And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are
in
God is
aware of His people; He knows their sorrows and hears their cries.
(Matthew 6:7-8.)
7 But when ye pray, use
not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall
be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like
unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask
him.
Many
cultures performed rituals to supposedly catch the attention of their god. Christ says that God already knows us and is
interested in our welfare. We don’t need
vain repetitions to get His attention.
God knows what we need before we even ask, we pray with real intent,
exercising faith.
(Exodus 3:11-13.)
11 ¶ And Moses said unto
God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring
forth the children of
12 And he said, Certainly
I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have
sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of
13 And Moses said unto
God, Behold, when I come unto the children of
Moses
doesn’t have enough faith for his calling at first. He needed to be taught by God a few basic
doctrines and principles of the gospel.
Moses Objections:
- Who am I? I’m nobody. You will not be alone, I will be with
you.
- Who are you? There is something important in a name,
especially in
When we change rank we are given a new name. Names are keys to knowledge, even in the
temple.
(Isaiah 56:5.)
5
Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name
better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name,
that shall not be cut off.
Mine house/within my walls. Such terms refer to
the temple (Matt. 21:12- 13).
A hand and a name better than of sons
and of daughters/everlasting name. The Lord promises those who come into “mine house,” or his
temple, a hand and a name. Hands and names are important parts of the
temple covenants (D&C 88:119-21, 130-36; 130:11). The New English Bible may
help clarify the meaning of this verse when it says,[“[they] shall receive from
me something better than sons and daughters, . . . I will give them an
everlasting name, a name imperishable for all time.” The name may be the new
name given to those who are exalted (D&C 130:11), or it may be the name
that King Benjamin gave to his people, which “never should be blotted out”
(Mosiah 5:11)—that is, the name of Christ. Compare this usage of “everlasting
name, that shall not be cut off” with the usage in 55:13.
(Donald W.
Parry, Jay A. Parry, and Tina M. Peterson, Understanding Isaiah [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 497.)
The Secret Names of God
The need for secrecy concerning the
celestial ascent is in part because a key concept of the celestial mystery is
the revelation of the most secret and sacred names of God and the angels. Fn
Pronouncing the tetragrammaton Yod-He-Waw-He (often vocalized today as
Yahweh or Jehovah) was restricted to the High Priest in the Holy of Holies in
the earthly temple on Yom Kippur, the most sacred day of the Jewish year. Fn “The
secret name, or names, of God played a great role in some of the ancient Jewish
concepts of creation,” which “might be connected with certain speculations
concerning the uttering of the tetragrammaton during the [earthly]
The ritual use of names is widespread
in the celestial ascent. When Abraham is called to ascend into heaven, God
sends to him the angel Yahweh-el (Iaoel) “through the mediation of my [God’s]
ineffable name.” fn Likewise, Rashi’s commentary on the famous ascent of the
four Rabbis into paradise fn claims that “they ascended to heaven by means of a
Name.” fn Those who misuse their knowledge of these sacred names receive
eternal condemnation. Fn Thus, the sacred names of the angels and God are to be
kept secret and only revealed to those who are worthy to ascend to the
celestial temple. Fn
(Donald W.
Parry, ed., Temples of the Ancient World: Ritual and Symbolism [Salt
Lake City and Provo: Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient Research and
Mormon Studies, 1994], 455.)
(Exodus 3:14.)
14
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto
the children of
Hebrew does
not have verb tense, it has aspects of an action completed, finished, done
(perfect) and actions ongoing, incomplete (imperfect).
I AM
The great I AM (see also Jesus
Christ)
I AM is a divine descriptive title that
refers to the preearthly Jehovah, who was known on the earth as Jesus Christ.
This name-title emphasizes the eternal nature of the power, authority, might,
mission, and calling of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, the translators of the
Bible have not understood the nature and significance of these words. The King
James Version of the Bible punctuates John 8:58 as follows:
“Before Abraham was, I am.” This is
confusing in syntax as well as in meaning. The verse would more correctly be
punctuated: “Before Abraham, was I AM,” indicating that Jesus Christ was the
great Jehovah, the preexistent One, who was a God before Abraham, was even born
on the earth.
Selected Quotations
“Christ revealed Himself in the Old
Testament as ‘I am,’ —Hebrew, ‘Ehyeh ‘asher ‘Ehyeh (Ex. 3:14Ex. 3:14),
which implies that, while He is, or exists, and is therefore different
from all non-existing deities of merely human imagination, He is not an
abstract existence without form or substance, but He is a real Being,
manifesting Himself in history ever anew; He is always with His people, active
for their welfare.” (Smith and Sjodahl, DCC, p. 86.)
“When Moses was tending the flocks of
his father-in-law, Jethro, at Horeb, the
“When Jesus was contending with the
Jews, and they were boasting of their descent from Abraham, he said to them: ‘Your
father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it and was glad. Then said
the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen
Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham
was, I am.’ (John 8:56-58.) Observe, he did not say, ‘Before Abraham was, I
was.’
“The name given to Moses is the same
as given by Jesus Christ to the Jews, and the meaning of it is expressed in the
saying that God is ‘omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient; without beginning
of days or end of life; and that in him every good gift and every good
principle dwell.’ (Lecture on Faith, No. 2.) Jesus declared to the Jews that
which they were incapable of understanding, which is that the great I Am who
appeared to Moses, was himself, and that he was God and gave commandments to
Abraham.
“In [Sec. 38] we again have our Lord
declaring himself as ‘the great I Am, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
end.’” (Joseph Fielding Smith, CHMR 1:165-66.)
Scriptural References:
D&C 39:1;Ex. 3:14 Ex. 3:14; John
8:58.
(Daniel H.
Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the New Testament: The Four Gospels
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 136.)
Moses
learns that God is always here, He is ongoing “I AM, HE IS” never changing,
always celestial.
Jehovah, Jesus Christ
The Godhead consists of three
separate and distinct beings: the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (D&C 130:22;
A of F 1). While some Christians do not equate Jesus Christ and Jehovah in
their theologies, biblical passages indicate that relationship, and latter-day
scriptures often refer to Jesus Christ, the Son, as Jehovah (e.g., D&C
110:3-4; Moro. 10:34).
The name Jehovah is an anglicized rendering of the tetragrammaton YHWH,
a proper noun in biblical Hebrew that identifies God. Following a Jewish tradition
that avoided pronouncing God’s name, translators of the King James Version
rendered almost all occurrences of YHWH as “Lord.” Latter-day Saints view many
other occurrences of “Lord” as references to Jehovah, both in the New Testament
and in LDS scripture.
Since his premortal life, Jesus
Christ has functioned as the constant associate of the Father working under his
direction. In 1916 the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
issued a doctrinal statement on the relationship between the Father and the
Son: “Jesus the Son has represented and yet represents Elohim His Father in
power and authority. This is true of Christ in His preexistent, antemortal, or
unembodied state, in the which He was known as Jehovah; also during His
embodiment in the flesh; …and since that period in His resurrected state” (MFP
5:31-32).
Throughout scripture, several roles
of Jehovah-Jesus Christ are specifically identified.
CREATOR. Jehovah as Creator is attested
throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Ps. 24:1-2). Speaking to Moses, God said, “Worlds
without number have I created; …and by the Son I created them, which is mine
Only Begotten” (Moses 1:33). John and others acknowledged Jesus as the Word,
the Creator: “In the beginning was the Word; …all things were made by him; and
without him was not any thing made” (John 1:1-3, 14; cf. Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16).
Similarly, the Book of Mormon teaches, “The Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who
was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven
among the children of men…. And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the
beginning” (Mosiah 3:5-8; cf. 2 Ne. 9:5; 3 Ne. 9:15).
LAWGIVER. To Moses, Jehovah identified himself
by the title “I AM THAT I AM”-a variation on the verbal root of YHWH (ex.
3:14Ex. 3:14). This title was claimed by Jesus in mortality: “Before Abraham
was, I am” (John 8:58; cf. John 4:26). After his resurrection, Jesus told
hearers in the
REDEEMER, DELIVERER, AND ADVOCATE. Jehovah delivered the children of
JUDGE. The Book of Mormon prophet
IN HIS NAME. In the beginning, men began “to call
upon the name of the Lord” (Gen. 4:25, 26; cf. Moses 5:8; 6:4). In Moses’s time
Jehovah instructed the priests to “put my name upon the children of
Divine names and titles, especially
in the Bible, are occasionally ambiguous. The distinction between the Father
and the Son is sometimes unclear. For example, the Hebrew term racti-a title
usually applied to the Father by Latter-day Saints-often refers to Jehovah in
the Bible (e.g., Isa. 12:2). Furthermore, people prayed to Jehovah as if he
were the Father. In some cases, ambiguity may be due to the transmission of the
text; in others, it may be explained by divine investiture wherein Christ is
given the authority of the Father: “Thus the Father placed His name upon the
Son; and Jesus Christ spoke and ministered in and through the Father’s name;
and so far as power, authority, and Godship are concerned His words and acts
were and are those of the Father” (MFP 5:32).
Bibliography
Talmage, James
DAVID R. SEELY
(Encyclopedia
of Mormonism, 1-4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan,
1992), 720.)
- Moses questions God’s power
Before
Moses leaves for
Moses is
taken to a high mountain, he is taken into the presence of God (Jesus) who
delivers a message from the Father, and Christ represents God on the earth,
like a father speaking to a son.
Jesus Christ as Father
“Father because of the Atonement. Our
scriptures teach that Jesus Christ is both the Father and the Son. The simple
truth is that he is the Son of God by birth, both in the spirit and in the
flesh. He is the Father because of the work that he has performed. . . .
“The Savior becomes our Father, in
the sense in which this term is used in the scriptures, because he offers us
life, eternal life, through the atonement which he made for us. . . .
“So, we become the children, sons and
daughters of Jesus Christ, through our covenants of obedience to him. Because
of his divine authority and sacrifice on the cross, we become spiritually
begotten sons and daughters, and he is our Father.
“Father by divine investiture of authority.
Christ is also our Father because his Father has given him of his fulness; that
is, he has received a fulness of the glory of the Father. This is taught in
Doctrine and Covenants 93:1-5, 16-17, and also by Abinadi in the 15th
chapter of Mosiah. Abinadi’s statement that he is ‘the Father, because he was
conceived by the power of God,’ harmonizes with the Lord’s own words in section
93 that he is the Father because he has received of the fulness of the Father.
Christ says he is the Son because, ‘I was in the world and made flesh my
tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men.’ Abinadi expresses this truth by
saying he is ‘the Son because of the flesh.’
“The Father has honored Christ by
placing his name upon him, so that he can minister in and through that name as
though he were the Father; and thus, so far as power and authority are
concerned, his words and acts become and are those of the Father.
“Father as Creator. Our Lord is also
called the Father in the sense that he is the Father or Creator of the heavens
and the earth and all things.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, DS 1:28-30.)
(Daniel H.
Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the New Testament: The Four Gospels
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 148.)
Reality = the
place where God dwells, His physical characteristics, God’s actions and
intentions, what He is and where He is.
Here is not
a real reality because it ends and is ever changing; also it hasn’t always
existed like Gods world does.
We learn
reality from the scriptures, but mainly through the
The Grandeur of God
Elder Jeffery R. Holland
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ensign, Nov. 2003, pp. ??
[Note: Original footnotes have been placed within the text.]
Of the many magnificent
purposes served in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, one great
aspect of that mission often goes uncelebrated. His followers did not
understand it fully at the time, and many in modern Christianity do not grasp
it now, but the Savior Himself spoke of it repeatedly and emphatically. It is
the grand truth that in all that Jesus came to say and do, including and
especially in His atoning suffering and sacrifice, He was showing us who and
what God our Eternal Father is like, how completely devoted He is to His
children in every age and nation. In word and in deed Jesus was trying to
reveal and make personal to us the true nature of His Father, our Father in
Heaven.
He did this at least in part
because then and now all of us need to know God more fully in order to love Him
more deeply and obey Him more completely. As both Old and New Testaments
declare, “The first of all the commandments is . . . thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and
with all thy strength: this is the first [and great] commandment” (Mark
12:29-30; see also Matthew 22:37-38; Deuteronomy 6:5).
Little wonder then that the
Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “It is the first principle of the gospel to know
for a certainty the character of God.” “I want you all to know Him,” he said, “and
to be familiar with Him” (History of the Church, 6:305.). We must have “a
correct idea of his . . . perfections, and attributes,” an admiration
for “the excellency of [His] character” (Lectures on Faith (1985), 38,
42.). Thus the first phrase we utter in the declaration of our faith is, “We
believe in God, the Eternal Father” (Articles of Faith 1:1.). So, emphatically,
did Jesus. Even as He acknowledged His own singular role in the divine plan,
the Savior nevertheless insisted on this prayerful preamble: “And this is life
eternal, that they might know thee the only true God” (John 17:3).
After generations of
prophets had tried to teach the family of man the will and the way of the
Father, usually with little success, God in His ultimate effort to have us know
Him, sent to earth His Only Begotten and perfect Son, created in His very
likeness and image, to live and serve among mortals in the everyday rigors of
life.
To come to earth with such a
responsibility, to stand in place of Elohim-speaking as He would speak, judging
and serving, loving and warning, forbearing and forgiving as He would do-this
is a duty of such staggering proportions that you and I cannot comprehend such
a thing. But in the loyalty and determination that would be characteristic of a
divine child, Jesus could comprehend it and He did it. Then, when the praise
and honor began to come, He humbly directed all adulation to the Father.
“The Father . . . doeth the
works,” He said in earnest. “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he
seeth the Father do: for what things soever [the Father] doeth, these also
doeth the Son likewise” (John 14:10; 5:19). On another occasion He said: “I
speak that which I have seen with my Father.” “I do nothing of myself; but as
my Father hath taught me.” “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will,
but the will of him that sent me” (John 8:38, 28; 6:38).
I make my own heartfelt
declaration of God our Eternal Father this morning because some in the
contemporary world suffer from a distressing misconception of Him. Among these
there is a tendency to feel distant from the Father, even estranged from Him,
if they believe in Him at all. And if they do believe, many moderns say they
might feel comfortable in the arms of Jesus, but they are uneasy contemplating
the stern encounter of God (see William Barclay, The Mind of Jesus
(1961), especially the chapter “Looking at the Cross” for a discussion of this
modern tendency). Through a misreading (and surely, in some cases, a
mistranslation) of the Bible, these see God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son
as operating very differently, this in spite of the fact that in both the Old
Testament and the New, the Son of God is one and the same, acting as He always
does under the direction of the Father, who is Himself the same “yesterday,
today, and forever” (for example, 1 Ne. 10:18; 2 Nephi 27:23; Moroni 10:19;
D&C 20:12).
In reflecting on these
misconceptions we realize that one of the remarkable contributions of the Book
of Mormon is its seamless, perfectly consistent view of divinity throughout
that majestic book. Here there is no Malachi-to-Matthew gap, no pause while we
shift theological gears, no misreading the God who is urgently, lovingly,
faithfully at work on every page of that record from its Old Testament
beginning to its New Testament end. Yes, in an effort to give the world back
its Bible and a correct view of Deity with it, what we have in the Book of
Mormon is a uniform view of God in all His glory and goodness, all His richness
and complexity-including and especially as again demonstrated through a
personal appearance of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
How grateful we are for all
the scriptures, especially the scriptures of the Restoration that teach us the
majesty of each member of the Godhead. How we would thrill, for example, if all
the world would receive and embrace the view of the Father so movingly
described in the Pearl of Great Price.
There, in the midst of a
grand vision of humankind which heaven opened to his view, Enoch, observing
both the blessings and challenges of mortality, turns his gaze toward the
Father and is stunned to see Him weeping. He says in wonder and amazement to
this most powerful Being in the universe: “How is it that thou canst weep? . .
. Thou art just [and] merciful and kind forever; . . . Peace . . . is the
habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end;
how is it thou canst weep?”
Looking out on the events of
almost any day, God replies: “Behold these thy brethren; they are the
workmanship of mine own hands. . . . I gave unto them . . . [a] commandment,
that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their
Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood.
. . . Wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer?” (Moses
7:29-33, 37)
That single, riveting scene
does more to teach the true nature of God than any theological treatise could
ever convey. It also helps us understand much more emphatically that vivid
moment in the Book of Mormon allegory of the olive tree, when after digging and
dunging, watering and weeding, trimming, pruning, transplanting, and grafting,
the great Lord of the vineyard throws down his spade and his pruning shears and
weeps, crying out to any who would listen, “What could I have done more for my
vineyard?” (Jacob 5:41; see also vv. 47, 49)
What an indelible image of
God’s engagement in our lives! What anguish in a parent when His children do
not choose Him nor “the gospel of God” He sent! (Romans 1:1) How easy to love
someone who so singularly loves us!
Of course the centuries-long
drift away from belief in such a perfect and caring Father hasn’t been helped
any by the man-made creeds of erring generations which describe God variously
as unknown and unknowable----formless, passionless, elusive, ethereal,
simultaneously everywhere and nowhere at all. Certainly that does not describe
the Being we behold through the eyes of these prophets. Nor does it match the
living, breathing, embodied Jesus of Nazareth who was and is in “the brightness
of his glory, and the express image of his [Father]” (Hebrews 1:3; see also 2
Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15).
In that sense Jesus did not
come to improve God’s view of man nearly so much as He came to improve man’s
view of God and to plead with them to love their Heavenly Father as He has
always and will always love them. The plan of God, the power of God, the
holiness of God, yes, even the anger and the judgment of God they had occasion
to understand. But the love of God, the profound depth of His devotion to His
children, they still did not fully know-until Christ came.
So feeding the hungry,
healing the sick, rebuking hypocrisy, pleading for faith-this was Christ
showing us the way of the Father, He who is “merciful and gracious, slow to
anger, long-suffering and full of goodness” (Lectures on Faith, 42). In
His life and especially in His death, Christ was declaring, “This is God’s
compassion I am showing you, as well as that of my own.” In the perfect Son’s
manifestation of the perfect Father’s care, in Their mutual suffering and
shared sorrow for the sins and heartaches of the rest of us, we see ultimate
meaning in the declaration: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;
but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).
I bear personal witness this
day of a personal, living God, who knows our names, hears and answers prayers,
and cherishes us eternally as children of His spirit. I testify that amidst the
wondrously complex tasks inherent in the universe, He seeks our individual
happiness and safety above all other godly concerns. We are created in His very
image and likeness (see Genesis 1:26-27; Moses 2:26-27), and Jesus of Nazareth,
His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, came to earth as the perfect mortal
manifestation of His grandeur. In addition to the witness of the ancients we
also have the modern miracle of
I bear witness of a God who
has such shoulders. And in the spirit of the holy apostleship, I say as did one
who held this office anciently: “Herein [then] is love, not that we loved God,
but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another”(1 John
4:10)-and to love Him forever, I pray. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ,
amen.
Moses 1:3-4 – God is
endless, He shows Moses (His son, like all of us) His glory.
Faith:
1. Absolute confidence in
things we cannot see. Moses needed
absolute confidence before going to
We need absolute
confidence in the atonement.
2. Combined with action
3. That is
in absolute confidence to the will of God.
(You need personal revelation to do this.)
Shall He Find Faith
on the Earth
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ensign, Nov. 2002, pp. 82-84
That was the most beautiful
rendition of a magnificent song, “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief,” which was the
favorite of the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum. What a beautiful
performance from the choir and orchestra.
I pray I may have the Spirit
of the Lord with me that has been with us during our conference, that I may say
those things that will be beneficial to members of the Church and those who are
not members. I feel very humble in this assignment.
Today I ask a question the
Savior asked nearly 2,000 years ago: “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find
faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
First Principle of the
Gospel
What is true faith? Faith is
defined as “belief and trust in and loyalty to God; . . . firm belief in
something for which there is no proof” (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary
(1984), “Faith,” p. 446). We believe that “faith is to hope for things which
are not seen, but which are true . . . , and must be centered in Jesus Christ.”
In fact, we believe that “faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the
gospel” (Bible Dictionary, “Faith,” pp. 669-70).
A Widow’s Faith
There are those who can
teach us regarding faith if we will but open our hearts and our minds. One such
person is a woman whose husband had died. Left alone to raise her son, she had
tried to find ways of supporting herself, but she lived in a time of terrible
famine. Food was scarce and many were perishing because of hunger.
As available food
diminished, so did the woman’s chance of surviving. Every day, she watched
helplessly as her meager supply of food decreased.
Hoping for relief but
finding none, the woman finally realized the day had come when she had only
enough food for one last meal.
It was then that a stranger
approached and asked the unthinkable. “Bring me, I pray thee,” he said to her, “a
morsel of bread.”
The woman turned to the man
and said, “As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of
meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse.” She told him she was about to
prepare it as a last meal for herself and her son, “that we may eat it, and
die.”
She did not know that the
man before her was the prophet Elijah, sent to her by the Lord. What this
prophet told her next may seem surprising to those today who do not understand
the principle of faith.
“Fear not,” he said to her, “but
make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for
thee and for thy son.”
Can you imagine what she
must have thought? What she must have felt? She hardly had time to reply when
the man continued, “For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal
shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the
Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.”
The woman, after hearing
this prophetic promise, went in faith and did as Elijah had directed. “And she,
and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not,
neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he
spake by Elijah” (see 1 Kings 17:11-16).
In the wisdom of our day,
the prophet’s request may seem unfair and selfish. In the wisdom of our day,
the widow’s response may appear foolish and unwise. That is largely because we
often learn to make decisions based upon what we see. We make decisions based
on the evidence before us and what appears to be in our immediate best
interest.
“Faith,” on the other hand, “is
the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews
11:1; see also Hebrews 11:2 -40; Ether 12:7-22.). Faith has eyes that penetrate
the darkness, seeing into the light beyond. “Your faith should not stand in the
wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Cor,. 2:5)
Failure to Exercise Faith
Too often today, we do not
rely on faith so much as on our own ability to reason and solve problems. If we
become ill, modern medicine can work healing miracles. We can travel great
distances in a short time. We have at our fingertips information that 500 years
ago would have made the poorest man a prince.
True Faith
“The just shall live by
faith”(Romans 1:7), we are told in holy writ. I ask again, What is faith?
Faith exists when absolute
confidence in that which we cannot see combines with action that is in absolute
conformity to the will of our Heavenly Father. Without all three–first,
absolute confidence; second, action; and third, absolute conformity–without
these three all we have is a counterfeit, a weak and watered-down faith. Let me
discuss each of these three imperatives of faith.
First, we must have
confidence in that which we cannot see. When Thomas finally felt the prints of
the nails and thrust his hand into the side of the resurrected Savior, he
confessed that he, at last, believed.
“Jesus saith unto him,
Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that
have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
Peter echoed those words
when he praised early followers for their faith in Jesus the Christ. He said:
“Whom having not seen, ye
love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy
unspeakable and full of glory:
“Receiving the end of your
faith, even the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9).
Second, for our faith to
make a difference, we must act. We must do all that is in our power to change
passive belief into active faith, for truly, “faith, if it hath not works, is
dead” (James 2:17).
In 1998, President Gordon B.
Hinckley raised a voice of warning to the Saints of this Church as well as to
the world at large. He uttered that same warning last night at priesthood
meeting. He said: “I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in
order. So many people are living on the very edge of their incomes. In fact,
some are living on borrowings. . . . I am troubled by the huge consumer
installment debt which hangs over the people of the nation, including our own
people” (“To the Boys and to the Men,” Ensign, Nov. 1998, 53; Liahona,
Jan. 1999, 65).
Brothers and sisters, when
these prophetic words were uttered, some faithful members of the Church
mustered their faith and heeded the counsel of the prophet. They are profoundly
grateful today that they did. Others perhaps believed that what the prophet
said was true but lacked faith, even as small as a grain of mustard seed.
Consequently, some have suffered financial, personal, and family distress.
Third, one’s faith should be
consistent with the will of our Heavenly Father, including His laws of nature.
The sparrow flying into a hurricane may believe that he can successfully
navigate the storm, but the unforgiving natural law will convince him otherwise
in the end.
Are we wiser than the
sparrow? Often what passes for faith in this world is little more than
gullibility. It is distressing to see how eager some people are to embrace fads
and theories while rejecting or giving less credence and attention to the
everlasting principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is distressing how
eagerly some rush into foolish or unethical behavior, believing that God will
somehow deliver them from the inevitable tragic consequences of their actions.
They even go so far as to ask for the blessings of heaven, knowing in their
hearts that what they do is contrary to the will of our Father in Heaven.
How do we know when our
faith conforms to the will of our Heavenly Father and He approves of that which
we seek? We must know the word of God. One of the reasons we immerse ourselves
in the scriptures is to know of Heavenly Father’s dealings with man from the
beginning. If the desires of our heart are contrary to scripture, then we
should not pursue them further.
Next, we must heed the counsel
of latter-day prophets as they give inspired instruction.
Additionally, we must ponder
and pray and seek the guidance of the Spirit. If we do so, the Lord has
promised, “I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost,
which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart” (D&C 8:2).
Only when our faith is
aligned with the will of our Heavenly Father will we be empowered to receive
the blessings we seek.
Principle of Power
Truly understood and
properly practiced, faith is one of the grand and glorious powers of eternity.
It is a force powerful beyond our comprehension. “Through faith . . . the
worlds were framed by the word of God” (Heb. 11:3). Through faith, waters are
parted, the sick healed, the wicked silenced, and salvation made possible.
Our faith is the foundation
upon which all our spiritual lives rest. It should be the most important
resource of our lives. Faith is not so much something we believe; faith is
something we live.
Remember the words of the
Savior: “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth”
(Mark 9:23). “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also;
and greater works than these shall he do” (John 14:12).
Teaching the Principle
Those who walk in faith will
feel their lives encompassed with the light and blessings of heaven. They will
understand and know things that others cannot. Those who do not walk in faith
esteem the things of the Spirit as foolishness, for the things of the Spirit
can only be discerned by the Spirit (see 1 Cor. 2:14).
The manifestations of heaven
are sealed from the understanding of those who do not believe. “For if there be
no faith among the children of men,”
Yet throughout history, even
in times of darkness there were those who, through eyes of faith, pierced the
darkness and beheld things as they truly are. Moroni reveals that “there were
many whose faith was so exceedingly strong . . . [they] could not be kept from
within the veil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld
with an eye of faith, and they were glad” (Hebrews 11:3).
Our homes should be havens
of faith. Mothers and fathers should teach the principles of faith to their
children. Grandparents, too, can help. When I’m at a family gathering, I try to
spend time, when appropriate, to have a one-on-one discussion with some of our
grandchildren. I sit with them and ask them a few questions: “How are you
doing?” “How is school?”
Then I ask them how they
feel about the true Church, which means so much to me. I try to discover the
depth of their faith and testimony. If I perceive areas of uncertainty, I’ll
ask them, “Would you accept a goal from your granddad?”
Then I’ll suggest they read
the scriptures daily and recommend they kneel down every morning and night and
pray with their father and mother and have personal prayers. I admonish them to
go to their sacrament meetings. I admonish them always to keep themselves pure
and clean, always attend their meetings, and finally, among other things,
always strive to be sensitive to the whisperings of the Lord.
Now one time after a talk
with Joseph, our eight-year-old grandson, he looked into my eyes and asked this
pointed question: “May I go now, Granddad?” He ran from my arms and I thought, “Did
I do any good?” Apparently I did, because the next day he said, “Thanks for the
little talk we had.”
If we approach them with
love rather than reproach, we will find that the faith of our grandchildren
will increase as a result of the influence and testimony of someone who loves
the Savior and His divine Church.
Trials
Sometimes the world appears
dark. Sometimes our faith is tried. Sometimes we feel that the heavens are
closed against us. Yet we should not despair. We should never abandon our
faith. We should not lose hope.
A few years ago, I began to
notice that things around me were beginning to darken. It troubled me because
simple things like reading the print in my scriptures were becoming more
difficult. I wondered what had happened to the quality of the lightbulbs and
wondered why manufacturers today couldn’t make things like they had in years
past.
I replaced the bulbs with
brighter ones. They, too, became dim. I blamed the poor design of the lamps and
bulbs. I even questioned whether the brightness of the sun was fading before
the thought occurred to me that the problem might not be with the amount of
light in the room–the problem might be with my own eyes.
Shortly thereafter, I went
to an ophthalmologist who assured me that the world was not going dark at all.
A cataract on my eye was the reason the light seemed to be fading. This
certainly gives you my age. I placed my faith in the capable hands of this
trained specialist, the cataract was removed, and behold, light again flooded
my life! The light had never diminished; only my capacity to see the light had
been lessened.
This taught me a profound
truth. Often when the world seems dark, when the heavens seem distant, we seek
to blame everything around us, when the real cause of the darkness may be a
lack of faith within ourselves.
Be of good cheer. Have faith
and confidence. The Lord will not forsake you.
The Lord has promised if we “search
diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together
for your good, if ye walk uprightly” (D&C 90:24).
I know, as did
Our Heavenly Father is a
powerful, moving, directing being. While we may, at times, bear burdens of
sorrow, pain, and grief; while we may struggle to understand trials of faith we
are called to pass through; while life may seem dark and dreary–through faith,
we have absolute confidence that a loving Heavenly Father is at our side.
As the Apostle Paul
promised, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
And one day, we will fully
see through the darkness into the light. We will understand His eternal plan,
His mercy, and His love.
“When the Son of man cometh,
shall he find faith on the earth?”
Perhaps as members of the
Church trust with all their hearts, transform their hopes and beliefs into
action, and seek to align themselves with the will of the Lord, the answer to
the question the Savior asked 2,000 years ago will be a resounding “Yes, He
will find faith. He will find faith among those who take upon themselves His
name. He will find it among those who are living His divine principles.”
Testimony
I testify that through our
prophet, seer, and revelator, President Gordon B. Hinckley, our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, speaks to all of us today. I testify the gospel was
restored in its fulness through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Faith, an eternal
power, is a gift from our Heavenly Father for all mankind. To this eternal
truth I bear my personal witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Moses is
brought into the presence of God to learn reality.
Things Moses Learned
- Moses 1:2 – He saw God face to
face and spoke to Him
- Gods glory literally changed
Moses body so he could abide and endure His presence
- He felt Gods power. The purpose of the plagues was to let
the Egyptians know that the God of Israel was more powerful, mightier then
their own Gods.
Jesus
Christ is all powerful because He is like the Father, and we need to know what
the Father is like so we can have faith in God.
You don’t
need to be a prophet to have absolute confidence; the pioneers had absolute
confidence in order to endure what they did.
Moses 1:3-4
– Heaven is endless, and Moses is His son and has potential to be what his
Father is.
Moses 2 –
God creates through a successive
progressive order through His son Jesus Christ. Moses is shown the creation of the world.
The Cosmos does form a pattern. Cosmos
means “organization, order.” Cosmetic, cosmology, means “putting things
in order.” With cosmetics, you put your face in order — your eyes up where they
belong, your nose approximately in between them, etc. Roughly, you push things
around and get some sort of order in your face. Typical is the Pistis Sophia,
a very important Coptic work. “There is an appointed place for everything in
the Cosmos,” it says. There is a numbering of souls for each world: and a
dispensation is not completed until the teleos (“completed”) number has
been fulfilled for that dispensation. Every soul stays in its appointed place
until it has fulfilled the task for the topos, for that place. Fn “God
plans times and seasons for all things,” says the newly discovered and very
important work, the Apocryphon of John. Fn The Dead Sea Scrolls are full
of set times: a time for iniquity, the time allotted for Satan to tempt
mankind, and a time of suffering and a time for punishment — all exactly
prescribed from the beginning. The Archons wanted to check Adam’s power by
limiting his time (on earth), but they couldn’t, “because all times were fixed
by God’s plan in the premortal existence.” “For the kairos is fixed, and
the limit set for every individual according to the way prescribed for the ‘Sons
of Light,’ “ according to the Scrolls. Fn
It is well understood that all of
this setting of times is constructed according to our nature, not according to
God’s nature. Time is for our testing — like holding a stop watch on a
particular process to see how things have been going. All this time and place
business is characteristic of this particular world. “For [God], there of
course is not time,” says the Apocryphon of John; fn Alma says the same
thing (
“If you ever set yourself to build,”
advises the newly discovered Manichaean Songbook, “let the measuring
come first for you. If you build without a measuring device in your hand, your
building will be crooked. Measurement is the very essence of construction.” Fn “The
whole creation,” says Clement of Alexandria, “is to be understood as a
synthesis: the imposing of inner order on outer material.” It’s a progressive
organizing of materials from the center out. You first organize a center, and
that structure becomes firm enough to organize more onto it. “And so this
synthesis,” continues Clement of Alexandria, “is building from the center out,
and organizing that way” fn — from an inner order to an outer material. This is
the background material; more and more of it is absorbed into the system — all
is organization and synthesis.
In the Apocalypse of Abraham,
a very important Jewish discovery, Abraham hails God: “God! Thou who dost bring
order into the confusion of the universe, ever preparing and renewing worlds
for the righteous.” Fn The Codex Brucianus (a new document) says the
same thing: Creation is organization, and God is ever bringing order into the
universe and is progressively ever preparing and renewing worlds for the
righteous. Fn
But it is not enough to arrange
matter in order and system. Such matter remains, for all its pretty patterns,
inert. If you organize it, you’ve just got a geometrical structure or something
similar, but it’s still inert. It’s only background stuff. The Pistis Sophia
says that, without light, matter is inert and helpless. Fn It must be improved
by the action of light; according to these texts, you’ve got to put into it
some animating principle. Whenever that active principle is withdrawn, the
matter at once falls back into its original lifeless, inert condition. It’s
like removing an electric current from a tube of one of the inert gases — the
tube shines as long as the charge goes through it; remove the charge, and it
becomes just nothing again. “Matter must be improved by the action of light,”
and whenever the active principle is withdrawn, it at once falls back into its
original lifeless, inert condition (like the inert gas argon). This vitalizing
principle is referred to everywhere as “the spark,” which you must have if
anything is to happen. “Without this spark,” says a very important new work
called the Second Coptic Gnostic Work, “there is no awareness,” fn no
consciousness. The electric eye that opens the door for you when you go into
the supermarket is not conscious of you; that is, it’s not thinking at all. It’s
purely automatic. An awareness, a consciousness, must be added to the electric
eye, or it has no mind at all. That is the difference: things just
automatically reacting, or, having a mind.
(Hugh
Nibley, Temple and Cosmos: Beyond This Ignorant Present, edited by Don
E. Norton [Salt Lake City and Provo: Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient
Research and Mormon Studies, 1992], 272.)
D&C 93
– Order of Creation
Intelligence
Pre
Mortality – (Day 1) – God organized our intelligence and created us
spiritually. We were given divine
potential inherent within us we grew in our spiritual state.
Mortality –
(Day 2) – Physical body, enemy of God, sensual and devilish
Spirit
World – (Day 3)
Millennium
– (Day 4) – 1000 years we learn to control our resurrected body, we learn how
to use it to become like God. Or we go
to the other lower kingdoms.
Moses and
we are shown progression; God shows how He brings things about. If He can create an earth He can help us gain
immortality.
The only
power we have is our agency (power to act) we can increase our agency by our
choices or decrease our agency by our choices.
The Plan: We need to learn how to increase our agency so we can become
like God.
Moses 1:39
– Gods purpose!
Continuation
of Moses 1-2
(Moses 1:6.) – Moses
mission was to redeem
6
And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of
mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he
is full of grace and truth; but there is no God beside me, and all things are
present with me, for I know them all.
Moses is
not yet ready to accomplish the task; he doesn’t have sufficient faith so he
needs to understand the power of God and His characteristics, (Omniscience,
Omnipotent)
The Omniscience of an Omnipotent and Omniloving God
Few doctrines, save those pertaining
to the reality of the existence of God, are more basic than the truth that God
is omniscient. “O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things,
and there is not anything save he knows it.” (2 Nephi. 9:20.) Unfortunately,
this truth is sometimes only passively assented to by individuals who avoid
exploring it and coming to understand its implications. Later on, such
believers sometimes have difficulty with the implications of this core
doctrine—which connects with other powerful doctrines such as the foreknowledge
of God, foreordination, and foreassignment. The all-loving God
who shapes our individual growing and sanctifying experiences—and then sees us
through them—could not do so if He were not omniscient.
The word omniscient has, at
times, been used carelessly, unnecessarily blurring our understanding of this
very fundamental attribute of God. We read in the Prophet Joseph Smith’s Lectures
on Faith that God is perfect in the attributes of divinity, and one of
these is knowledge: “. . . seeing that without the knowledge of all things, God
would not be able to save any portion of his creatures; for it is by reason of
the knowledge which he has of all things, from the beginning to the end, that
enables him to give that understanding to his creatures by which they are made
partakers of eternal life; and if it were not for the idea existing in the
minds of men that God had all knowledge it would be impossible for them to
exercise faith in him.” (Lecture 4, paragraph 11.)
Joseph Smith also declared, “God is
the only supreme governor and independent being in whom all fullness and
perfection dwell; who is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.” (Lecture 2,
paragraph 2.)
God, who knows the beginning from the
end, knows, therefore, all that is in between. He could not safely see us
through our individual allotments of “all these things” that shall give us
experience if He did not first know “all things.”
Below the scripture that declares
that God knows “all things” there is no footnote reading “except that
God is a little weak in geophysics”! We do not worship a God who simply
forecasts a generally greater frequency of earthquakes in the last days before
the second coming of His Son; He knows precisely when and where all these will
occur. God has even prophesied that the Mount of Olives will cleave in twain at
a precise latter-day time as
There are no qualifiers, only flat and absolute assertions of the
omniscience of God such as these: “The Lord searcheth all hearts, and
understandeth all.” (1 Chronicles 28:9.) The psalmist said that the Lord’s “understanding
is infinite.” (Psalm 147:5.) “Now we are sure that thou knowest all things.”
(John 16:30.) “The Lord knoweth all things which are to come.” (Words of Mormon
1:7.)
Mortals should not aspire to teach God that He is not omniscient by
adding qualifiers that He has never used in the scriptures. Job rightly asked, “Shall
any teach God knowledge?” (Job 21:22.)
The Lord could not know all things that are to come if He did not know
all things that are past as well as all things that are present.
The Lord Himself said that He “knoweth all things, for all things are
present” before Him. (D&C 38:2.) We read, too, that “all things are present
with me, for I know them all.” (Moses 1:6.)
Therefore, God’s omniscience is not solely a function of
prolonged and discerning familiarity with us—but of the stunning reality that
the past and present and future are part of an “eternal now” with God! (Joseph
Smith, History of the Church 4:597.)
Most, if not all of us, have been
momentarily wrenched by the sound of a train whistle spilling into the night
air—and we have been inexplicably subdued by the mix of memories and feelings
it evokes. Perhaps, too, we have been beckoned by a lighted cottage across a
snow-covered meadow at dusk. Or we have heard the distant but drawing soft
laughter of children at play. Or we have been tugged at by the strains of
singing from a nearby church. In such moments we have felt a deep yearning, as
if we were outside something to which we belonged and of which we so much
wanted again to be a part. The impact has been brief, to be sure—but real!
(Neal A.
Maxwell, All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience [Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1979], 6.)
2. Let us here observe, that three things are necessary in
order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto
life and salvation.
3. First, the idea that he actually exists.
4. Secondly, a correct idea of his character,
perfections, and attributes.
61 Thirdly, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he
is pursuing is according to his will. For without an acquaintance with these
three important facts, the faith of every rational being must be imperfect and
unproductive; but with this understanding it can become perfect and fruitful,
abounding in righteousness, unto the praise and glory of God the Father, and
the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Lectures
on Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], 3:2-5)
Revelation
is given so we can know these truths, idea to knowledge, a progressive step
upward. Doubt is a killer of faith.
Moses
learns the correct idea of who God is:
A being who
speaks to him face to face
Moses is
His son
God is
almighty, endless, and omniscient
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland,” Rending
the Veil of Unbelief”
The first issue is suggested in two
questions the Lord asks the brother of Jared during the vision as it unfolds: “Why
hast thou fallen?” and “Sawest thou more than this?” It is a basic premise of
Latter-day Saint theology that God “knoweth all things, and there is not
anything save he knows it” (2 Nephi 9:20). The scriptures, both ancient and
modern, are replete with this assertion of omniscience. Nevertheless, God has
frequently asked questions of men, usually as a way to test their faith,
measure their honesty, or allow their knowledge greater development. For
example, he called unto Adam in the Garden of Eden, “Where art thou?” and later
asks Eve, “What is this that thou hast done?” (Genesis 3:9, 13), yet an
omniscient parent clearly knew the answer to both questions, for he could see
where Adam was and he watched what Eve had done. It is obvious that the
questions are for the children’s sake, giving Adam and Eve the responsibility
of replying honestly. Later, in trying Abraham’s faith, God repeatedly called
out regarding Abraham’s whereabouts, to which the faithful patriarch would
answer: “Here am I” (Genesis 22:11). The purpose in this scriptural moment was
not to provide God with information he already knew but to reaffirm Abraham’s
fixed faith and unwavering position in the most difficult of all parental
tests. These kinds of rhetorical questions are frequently used by God,
particularly in assessing faith, honesty, and the full measure of agency,
allowing the “students” the freedom and opportunity to express themselves as
revealingly as they wish, even though God knows the answer to his own and all
other questions.
(Nurturing
Faith through the Book of Mormon: The 24th Annual Sidney B. Sperry
Symposium [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1995], 14 – 15.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
8:2-3.)
2 Yea, behold, I will tell
you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon
you and which shall dwell in your heart.
3 Now, behold, this is the
spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the
children of
Moses knew
the
Moses 1:9 –
Moses sees for himself the stark difference between God and man (our
nothingness), we need to be changed to be in God’s presence and see as He sees,
transfigured.
Satan comes
to tempt Moses to worship him, he calls Moses a son of man, Moses responds in
the next verse that he is a Son of God
(Moses 1:12-18.)
12 And it came to pass
that when Moses had said these words, behold, Satan came tempting him, saying:
Moses, son of man, worship me.
13 And it came to pass
that Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of
God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I
should worship thee?
14 For behold, I could not
look upon God, except his glory should come upon me, and I were transfigured
before him. But I can look upon thee in the natural man. Is it not so, surely?
15 Blessed be the name of
my God, for his Spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me, or else where is
thy glory, for it is darkness unto me? And I can judge between thee and God;
for God said unto me: Worship God, for him only shalt thou serve.
16 Get thee hence, Satan;
deceive me not; for God said unto me: Thou art after the similitude of mine
Only Begotten.
17 And he also gave me
commandments when he called unto me out of the burning bush, saying: Call upon
God in the name of mine Only Begotten, and worship me.
18 And again Moses said: I
will not cease to call upon God, I have other things to inquire of him: for his
glory has been upon me, wherefore I can judge between him and thee. Depart
hence, Satan.
Moses
recognizes the difference between Satan (Luminosity) and God (Glory). Moses can only see here and now with Satan,
within God’s glory he saw all things, also he realizes he didn’t need to be
physically changed with Satan like he had to be with God.
Light As an Aspect of Glory
A modern dictionary gives as a
secondary definition of glory as “a ring or spot of light”; fn glory is
therefore associated with “radiance.” The dictionary gives one the feeling that
such association is very limited; that, however, is not the case in a
dictionary available to Joseph Smith. According to that dictionary, glory
is first and foremost “brightness, luster, and splendor.” Only in a secondary
sense is it fame or praise. That dictionary notes that in a scriptural sense
glory is a manifestation of the presence of God. Fn This meaning accords much
better with Joseph Smith’s use of the term. For example, while recounting his
first vision he wrote, “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the
brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. . . . I
saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description.” (Joseph
Smith-History 1:16-17.) Writing of this experience on another occasion he
stated, “I was enwrapped in heavenly vision, and saw two glorious personages,
who exactly resembled each other in features and likeness, surrounded with a
brilliant light which eclipsed the sun at noon day.” Fn In these passages glory
is directly associated with “radiance.” This association fits nicely with the
idea expressed in Doctrine and Covenants 93 that light is a constituent part of
glory.
To ancient
Like Moses, Joseph Smith knew well
the glory associated with the presence of the Lord. Of His appearance in the
Kirtland Temple Joseph Smith reported, “His eyes were as a flame of fire; . . .
his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun.” (D&C 110:3.) When
he comes the second time, we are told that he will be “clothed in the
brightness of his glory.” (D&C 65:5.) These are only a few of many
references suggesting that light and radiance are important aspects of glory.
Light and the Process of Salvation
Radiance in the normative sense is
related to light. But what is light? A careful look at the way the term is used
in the scriptures suggests that it is more than mere luminosity. We get a
glimpse of the breadth of meaning ascribed to the word when the Lord states, “the
light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth
your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings.”
(D&C 88:11.) This phrase defines light not only as something that makes
vision possible but also as that force which activates and stimulates the
intellect. Further, light “is in all things,” gives “life to all things,” and “is
the law by which all things are governed.” (D&C 88:13.) Thus, a more full
definition would make light an ever-present, life- and law-giving power that
manifests itself, among other ways, as natural light, intellectual activity,
and the living energy in all things. The scriptures declare that this “light
proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space” and
that it is “the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom
of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.” (D&C 88:12-13.)
These scriptures suggest that the
term light is used to describe that aspect of the nature of God which
radiates out from him expanding with his work and will, enlightening,
organizing, capacitating, and quickening as it does.
In sum, light is the ever-present,
life- and law-giving, intellectually and spiritually quickening aspect of the
power of God. Perhaps the best definition would be living and capacitating
energy. Thus, a scripture states, “That which is of God is light; and he that
receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light racti
brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” (D&C 50:24.) This scripture
suggests that the continual reception of this living energy endows one with
ability. Thus, the Lord states, “if your eye be single to my glory, your whole
bodies shall be filled with light and there shall be no darkness in you; and
that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.” (D&C
88:67.) As one increases in light he increases in ability until he is able to
comprehend all things.
The Relationship between Light and Truth
One is not glorified in light, or as
here defined, in power, or energy. Glorification is contingent upon the
reception of the other, all-important element. Section 93 teaches us, “He that
keepeth [God’s] commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in
truth and knoweth all things.” (D&C 93:28; italics added.) The
glorifying principle is truth. Defining truth, fn the scripture states, “truth
is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.”
(D&C 93:24.) In other words, truth is knowledge of what a Latter-day Saint
hymn proclaims as “the sum of existence.” Fn Truth defined in this way is
always associated with light because truth can only be acquired through the
power or the capacitating force of light. Without the faculty created by light,
a fulness of truth could never be gained.
The acquisition of both light and
truth is dependent on obedience. Explaining the need and the reason for
obedience, the Lord stated, “You shall live by every word that proceedeth forth
from the mouth of God.” (D&C 84:44.) The explanation is simple: obedience
is requisite for eternal life. Again the Lord explains why: “For the word of
the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is
Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” (D&C 84:45.) The factors of
life—light and truth—are equated with the Spirit of Christ, because he alone
controls their dissemination through the bestowal of his Spirit. Therefore, he
can stipulate the means by which they are granted. Thus, obedience to his will
is absolutely requisite for those who would gain life.
According to Doctrine and Covenants
131:7-8 all spirit is matter. If this includes the Spirit of Christ, then its
bestowal upon an individual would be an imparting of actual celestial
substance—actual elements producing higher power, higher capacity, higher life.
The result of its infusion would be spiritual and intellectual capacitation,
which would allow the individual to progress to the point that he could enjoy
eternal life.
But the capacitating force of light
would have to precede the possession of this celestial substance. The scripture
continues, “And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the
world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth
to the voice of the Spirit. And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the
Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father.” (D&C 84:46-47.) Light, the
capacitating power, and enlightenment, or truth, are received by acquisition of
celestial element through the Spirit of Christ to those who obey the word. But,
first comes obedience to the word, then light, and finally truth.
Thus, all—word, light, truth,
Spirit—become one. They are inseparably welded together so man cannot be
touched by one without being touched by all. Accordingly, the scripture states,
“My voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth; truth abideth and hath no end; and if
it be in you it shall abound.” (D&C 88:66.) As noted already, that body
which is filled with light—the power of God—can comprehend all things: truth.
For emphasis, let me say again that
truth is the basis of glorification. Section 93 helps us understand why. In
verse 30 we read, “All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has
placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no
existence.” The very essence of existence is the ability of truth and
intelligence to act for themselves. But how can truth, which has been defined
earlier as knowledge, act? It would be more comprehensible if the scripture
stated that truth impels or causes righteous action. But that is not what this
verse states. And what does the scripture mean by “all truth”? Is there more
than one kind of truth?
Understanding comes from the latter
part of verse 30, which states that “all intelligence” is free to act for
itself. As noted above, intelligence is equated with the glory of God, i.e.
light and truth. But intelligence is also equated with a specific primal
substance. Verse 29 of section 93 states, “Intelligence, or the light of truth,
was not created or made, neither indeed can be.” Fn Thus, intelligence has two
scriptural definitions. One is an abstraction designated as “light and truth,”
conveying the idea of mental acuity by which existence is cognized. The other
is more concrete. It designates the primal substance of being, which is called “the
light of truth.” The context of verse 30 suggests that intelligence should be
understood in the latter sense. Thus, all intelligence, or the primal substance
from which man is created, is free to act within the bounds in which God has
placed it.
Intelligence, then, has two definitions. So may truth.
The Lord says all truth is independent in the sphere in which he has
placed it. If truth is the knowledge of the sum of existence then “all truth”
would seem to define existence itself. Fn Thus, all existence (or all things
that exist—that is, truth) has a measure of independence in which it is free to
act. Of this totality, that portion designated as intelligence and associated
expressly with man is also free to act. Because it is a portion of the whole of
reality, it is designated as the spirit part of truth.
In sum, “all intelligence,” as I see
it, identifies a component of the spirit aspect of existence. The phrase “all
truth” defines the whole of that existence. The condition for glorification is
cognition of that whole. Cognition comes only with obedience and the
acquisition of light, which allows truth to follow as the capstone and seal.
Thus, one is glorified in truth.
Note that God is the one who sets the
bounds and conditions that make cognition possible. He has determined that man
will be glorified only as he receives truth. But man can receive a fulness of
truth only as he receives a fulness of light. Emphasizing this point are the verses
that state: “Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of
man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them
[i.e., truth], and they receive not the light [or capacitating power]. And
every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation.” (D&C
93:31-32.) Intelligence is free to choose or reject light. When it willfully
rejects light, it is rejecting truth, and condemnation follows.
Why Man Can Receive Light and Truth
Section 93 explains why man is
capable of receiving a fulness of light and truth. The Savior states, “I was in
the beginning with the Father.” (D&C 93:21.) “I am the Spirit of truth, and
John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of
all truth.” (D&C 93:26.) Because Christ is of God (I take this to mean that
he was the literal Son of God and so was of the genus of the Gods), he had the
ability to do what the race of the Gods do and that includes possessing all
truth. One purpose of John’s record, as preserved in section 93, was to bear
testimony that this potential was indeed realized in the Lord.
But the Savior was not the only
descendant of the Gods. He tells us that he was but the firstborn of many
brethren. (Romans 8:29.) Therefore, concerning mankind, he further explains, “Ye
were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the
Spirit of truth.” (D&C 93:23.) Here we learn that as Christ was in the
beginning with the Father so, too, was man. Further, both man and Christ are the
Spirit of truth. They are, therefore, of the same genus, their primal
nature being identical. Accordingly, what the Savior was able to realize is
likewise within the potential of man. This is emphasized in the verses that
state, “Verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am
the Firstborn; and all those who are begotten through me are the partakers of
the glory of the same, and are the church of the Firstborn.” (D&C
93:21-22.) Man can receive glory, even the same glory as the Savior, because he
is of the same origin and stock.
Christ As the Source of Light and Truth
But what is the process by which
mortals receive the glory of Christ? The Savior has answered, “I am the way,
the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John
14:6.) He here emphasizes that the only way is through him, and he explains the
reason, stating that he will appoint nothing unto man “except it be by law,
even as I and my Father ordained unto you, before the world was.” Going on, he
states, “I am the Lord thy God; and I give unto you this commandment—that no
man shall come unto the Father but by me or by my word, which is my law, saith
the Lord.” (D&C 132:11-12.)
Here we see the central place that
the word of Christ plays in the process of salvation. Man can only come to know
God through the word of the Lord. But we have already seen that his “word” is
equated with Spirit, light, and truth. Therefore, the reception of the word is
the reception of light and truth. The Savior’s objective is to bring obedient
souls to a fulness of glory. He knows how, for he followed the way set down by
the Father. And if man receives glory, it will be in the same way through which
Christ received it.
God’s glory consists in a fulness of
light and truth. Christ was glorified as he, too, came to possess a fulness of
light and truth. It did not happen all at once. Section 93 states: “I, John,
saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for
grace;
“And he received not the fulness at
the first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness.”
(D&C 93:12-13.)
The Role of Grace
The role played by grace in the
process through which the Lord received a fulness of the glory of the Father
was twofold: he received grace for grace, and he went from grace to grace. But
what does it mean to receive grace for grace and to go from grace to grace? The
answer lies in the very nature of grace. The word denotes favor, kindness, and
goodwill. Out of this comes the theological definition: “the free unmerited
love and favor of God,” which brings divine assistance to his chosen ones. Fn
The key expressions here are love and favor, and unmerited assistance. To
receive grace for grace is to receive assistance on the condition of giving assistance.
But not just any kind of assistance can be given. What transforms assistance
into grace is the kindness and favor felt by the giver which is extended to the
receiver, when such service is totally unmerited. But grace does not have to be
given without condition. Indeed, an important aspect of the word is
reciprocity. The scripture states specifically that man receives “grace for
grace.” (D&C 93:20.) Thus, the extension of favor is meant to obligate the
recipient so that he will extend the same. As he meets this condition, more
grace is extended to him, which further obligates him to greater assistance of
others.
Apparently, it was necessary for the
Lord to grow through this process. In order to do so, he first received grace,
or divine assistance, from the Father. This grace he extended to his brethren.
As he did so he received even more grace. The process continued until he
eventually received a fulness of the glory of the Father. The implication of
this process is interesting: in a very real way Christ himself was saved by
grace.
Such a concept sheds light on certain
aspects of the Savior’s teachings. “The Father hath not left me alone,” he
stated, “for I do always those things that please him.” (John 8:29.) Here he
acknowledged the contingent relationship that existed between him and his
Father. He was totally dependent upon the Father for power and knowledge. By
doing God’s will, the Savior enjoyed communion with the Father through which
God gave grace to the Son. This association anchored the Savior’s profound
abilities to teach and to do. He insisted, “The Son can do nothing of himself,”
but “the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” (John 5:19; 14:10.)
Thus, the grace of God was, of necessity, upon the Son. But note that it was
truly grace, for the Atonement did not effect the Father’s salvation.
Otherwise, any assistance God rendered could not be considered an act of grace
but of necessity.
In a very real way, the Savior has
the same relation to the Father as we have to Christ. He stated, “As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye,
except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in
me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do
nothing.” (John 15:4-5.)
These verses suggest another
important aspect of grace, that of impartation. Whenever grace is extended,
something is imparted. This imparting results in increased ability in the
recipient. In the scriptures the reception of grace is expressed in two ways: a
loss of the very propensity for sin and the accompanying ability to live God’s
laws. Paul taught this concept, saying, “What shall we say then? Shall we
continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead
to sin, live any longer therein? . . . For sin shall not have dominion over
you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:1-2, 14.)
The Savior himself had to have power
to live his Father’s law. According to Joseph Smith, “None ever were perfect
but Jesus; and why was He perfect? Because He was the Son of God, and had the
fullness of the Spirit, and greater power than any man.” Fn This power came
through grace, even the grace of God.
Just what was imparted to Christ and,
by inference, to man? Doctrine and Covenants 93 makes clear that it is light
and truth. The possession of light and truth allows one to forsake the evil one
and to be protected against his machinations. Further, light and truth enable
their recipient to progress toward a fulness of the glory of God. This was the
case with the Lord. Through his benevolence he received grace. Additional
powers of light and truth were continually being extended to him such that he
went from grace to grace. In other words, he went from one power level to
another, from one capacity to a greater, until he received a fulness of the
Father.
Receiving these life-giving
principles of God allowed the Lord to become the spiritual Son of the Father. Fn
John seems to have been communicating this idea when he stated, “And thus he
was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.”
(D&C 93:14; italics added.) The Father confirmed that sonship had been
accomplished when he stated: “This is my beloved Son.” (D&C 93:15.) The fulness
of sonship was contingent upon receiving the fulness of grace or, in other
words, light and truth. The Savior did receive this fulness, and John
testified, “He received a fulness of the glory of the Father; And he received
all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with
him, for he dwelt in him.” (D&C 93:16-17.) Thus, section 93 is clear about
the way the Savior gained the glory of the Father. Since he is the way, the
course he pursued must be the way all must follow. Section 93 is emphatic that
this is the case. The Savior states, “I give unto you these sayings that you
many understand . . . that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due
time receive of his fulness.
“For if you keep my commandments you
shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father;
therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.” (D&C
93:19-20.)
Expressing the same thought, Joseph
Smith stated, “You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings
and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you, namely, by going
from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one;
from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the
resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to
sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power.” Fn
Conclusion
An essential part of the glory of God
is light, or living, life-giving energy. Light is a capacitating power through
which man is given the faculty to receive truth. Possession of truth is the
condition that must be met for glorification. A fulness of truth, or the
knowledge of the sum of existence, requires the acquisition of the fulness of
light. The grace of God plays a direct part in the reception of light and
truth. Grace expresses itself through impartation. That which is imparted is
light. The agency of man is expressed in choosing or rejecting light. But he is
not free to choose or reject grace. Grace comes to all men freely, as it is the
unmerited favor that God holds for all his children. Grace allows light to flow
unto man. Thus, light, through grace, is freely manifest unto man. When man
rejects light, he rejects God’s favor and cuts himself off from truth. Thus, he
stands under condemnation. When he accepts grace by choosing light he is
capacitated to receive truth. As he continues from grace to grace by giving
grace for grace, he receives more light and truth until he is eventually
glorified in truth.
(Susan
Easton Black et al., Doctrines for Exaltation: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on
the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 31.)
Moses asks
God questions of what he saw, they were Why (Moses 1:39) and who (Moses
1:32-33) questions, not How questions (D&C 101:32-33).
Abraham 3-5
– Context of obedience, God gave laws and the earth obeyed through progression
day by day, from unorganized matter to paradisiacal glory. The creation was very organized and required
obedience.
Abraham saw
the stars of heaven, many were much larger then our own sun. Kolob is a huge star near to where God lives;
the greater the star the more powerful the force, there is organized structure.
This planet receives its power
through the medium of others who transmit the power to others; and so it goes.
What we have is a system here. We are not studying it now. We are just
mentioning the fact that we do believe in the plurality of worlds and the Book
of Abraham insists on it.
Notice in the third chapter verses
three, four, five, six, seven, and nine, he repeats that you must always
understand what you are seeing in terms of the earth on which thou standest,
from where you view it. You don’t see things from above or with the eye of God
that embraces all things at once. You have a limited point of view, and that’s
going to restrict you. So throughout that third chapter, he says things like: “And
I saw the stars, that they were very great, and that one of them was nearest
unto the throne of God [there’s a multitude of beings, verse 2 ].” Then he says
here, “I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order
as that upon which thou standest [verse 3 ].” So Abraham lives on a particular
order that belongs to a particular star. We know that the sun is a particular
kind of star of a particular order. This is the order to which Abraham belongs,
where he stands at present. This is where he is now, and he says everything has
to be seen from that point of view. In the next verse you notice, after his
manner of reckoning, a thousand years, according to the time of your order, “unto
that [order] whereon thou standest [verse 4 ].” In the next verse he says, “The
planet which is the lesser light, lesser than that which is to rule the day,
even the night, is above or greater than that upon which thou[standest…[here is
a planet greater than that upon which thou standest, verse 5].” Again this
formula, “the earth upon which thou standest,” is used twice here. So it used
seven times in this one chapter. It always specifies that all your reckonings
and all your views and pictures of the universe are only what can be seen from
the place where you are standing. And this, of course, is a very important
principle today. It’s the anthropic principle. It has become absolutely basic
in astronomy in the last ten years or so. It’s new and it’s extremely
important. Seventh verse, “…reckoning of the time of the earth upon which thou
standest.” Again, the ninth verse, “…Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God
to govern all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which
thou standest.” Notice, Kolob doesn’t govern all the planets in the universe,
only those of the same order that concern Abraham. So he is shown Kolob for
that purpose, because it concerns him. Then in eleven and twelve, “Thus I,
Abraham, talked with the Lord face to face…and he told me of the works which
his hands had made, And he said unto me: My son, my son (and his hand was
stretched out), behold I will show you all these. And he put his hand upon mine
eyes, and I saw those things which his hands had made, which were many [the
same hand that had made all these things] and they multipled before mine eyes,
and I could not see the end thereof.” We can make it very plain here what the
situation is. Then in verse 13 it talks about Abraham’s local system: This is Shinehah,
which means in Egyptian, one eternal round. Shenha means to go around
forever. This is the sun, and that is what the Egyptians call it. “And he said
unto me: Kokob…” That’s the Hebrew word for a star. It’s a very interesting
word, the same as the Babylonian word and the Arabic word also, Kakkabum and
Kawakibu “And he said unto me: Kokaubeam, [that which is the plural of
Hebrew], which signifies stars, or all the great lights, which were in the
firmament of heaven.” So here we are getting local systems and all the rest of
it. Then we are told about the council in verses 21-28 of this same chapter
where they get together and start making things. We are talking about plurality
now, not about the creation.
(Hugh
Nibley, Ancient Documents and the Pearl of Great Price, edited by Robert
Smith and Robert Smythe [n.p., n.d.], 5.)
Abraham
sees the universe as very orderly, smaller worlds obey the larger ones, obedience is key among the elements.
Abraham 3:22-25,
4:10 – Among the organized intelligence = noble and great spirits, there was
obedience, some were more obedient then others, we prove ourselves worthy of
blessings by our obedience.
God gave
laws and the elements obeyed. There is
daily progression, the more laws are given the further obedience is
followed. We don’t grow unless we are
obedient.
And those priests were
ordained after the order of his Son, in a manner that thereby the people might
know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption.
And this is the manner
after which they were ordained–being called and prepared from the foundation of
the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding
faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil;
therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are
called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared
with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.
Joseph Fielding Smith Jr.
The spirits of men had their free agency, some were greater than others, and
from among them the Father called and foreordained his prophets and rulers.
Jeremiah and Abraham were two of them. . . . The spirits of men were not equal.
They may have had an equal start, and we know they were all innocent in the
beginning; but the right of free agency which was given to them enabled some to
outstrip others, and thus, through the eons of immortal existence, to become
more intelligent, more faithful, for they were free to act for themselves, to
think for themselves, to receive the truth or rebel against it.
The Lord declared through
Moses the following: “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many
generations: . . . When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance,
when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according
to the number of the children of
A similar passage to this
occurs in Acts where Paul declares to the Athenians that the Lord “hath made of
one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and
hath determined the times, before appointed, and the bounds of their
habitation.”
These passages clearly
indicate that the numbers of the children of
Harold B. Lee
From The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, p. 23
Between the extremes of the “noble and the great” spirits, whom God would make
His rulers (see Abraham 3:22-23), and the disobedient and the rebellious, who
were cast out with Satan, there were obviously many spirits with varying
degrees of faithfulness. May we not assume from these teachings that the
progress and development we made as spirits have brought privileges and
blessings here according to our faithfulness in the spirit world? Now don’t be
too hasty in your conclusions as to what conditions in mortality constitute the
greater privileges. That condition in life which gives the greatest experience
and opportunity for development is the one to be most desired and any one so
privileged is most favored of God. . . .
Now, don’t misunderstand
as to just what may be a great privilege or opportunity. Sometimes to be born
through the channels of adversity is to have had the greatest opportunity. Just
because we haven’t been born rich, for instance, may be the greatest blessing
we could possibly have. Perhaps some physical infirmities might be a blessing.
God has perfect faith, His faith =
power. Light >>>> Truth
>>>> Intelligence (D&C 93)
Law
>>>> Life >>>> Power (D&C 88)
Moses will
receive revelation line upon line in order to free
God is
supreme and independent from any other source.
(Doctrine and Covenants
76:92-95.)
92 And thus we saw the
glory of the celestial, which excels in all things—where God, even the Father,
reigns upon his throne forever and ever;
93 Before whose throne all
things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever.
94 They who dwell in his
presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and
know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace;
95 And he makes them equal
in power, and in might, and in dominion.
The Church of the Firstborn
Bruce Satterfield
Department of Religious Education,
Becoming
part of the Church of the Firstborn should be the goal of every Latter-day
Saint. Though the phrase “church of the Firstborn” is used in the scriptures
(see Hebrews 12:23; D&C 76:54, 67, 71, 94, 102; 77:11; 78:21; 88:5; 93:22;
107:19), many in the Church are unfamiliar with its meaning. The following is
an examination of the scriptures and the words of the brethren concerning the doctrine
of the church of the Firstborn.
Three Kingdoms of Glory
Just hours before the Savior performed the atoning sacrifice
that ended in his death and resurrection, he told the Apostles, “In my Father’s
house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). The atonement made possible salvation for
God’s children in a one of several kingdoms prepared by the Savior. Brigham
Young taught, “The kingdoms that God has prepared are innumerable. . . How may
kingdoms there are has not been told to us” (Journal of Discourses
8:154).
On February 16, 1832, the Lord gave to the Prophet Joseph
Smith a series of visions revealing that the “many mansions” the Savior
prepared for God’s children are divided into three general categories: the
celestial, terrestrial, and telestial kingdoms (see D&C 76).
In the same revelation, Joseph Smith was told what one must
do to qualify for entrance into the celestial kingdom:
They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name
and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in
his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given--
That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and
cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of
the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power;
And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy
Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and
true. (D&C 76:51-53).
Of those who qualify to
enter the celestial kingdom, the Lord declared: “They are they who are the
church of the Firstborn” (D&C 76:54).
Highest Level of
But the phrase “church of the Firstborn” does not have
reference to the celestial kingdom in general. In May, 1843, twelve years after
the vision of the celestial kingdom found in D&C 76, the Prophet taught, “In
the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees” (D&C 131:1). Joseph Fielding Smith taught that only
those who achieve the highest level of the celestial kingdom or exaltation are
of the Church of the Firstborn: “Those who gain exaltation in the
celestial kingdom are those who are members of the Church of the Firstborn; in
other words, those who keep all the commandments of the Lord. There will be
many who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who
shall never become members of the Church of the Firstborn. (Doctrines of
Salvation, 2:41; emphasis added). Again, he said: “Eternal life is life
in the presence of the Father and the Son. Those who receive it become members
of the ‘Church of the Firstborn’ and are heirs as sons and daughters of God.
They receive the fulness of blessings. They become like the Father and the Son
and are joint-heirs with Jesus Christ” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:9).
Therefore, only those have been exalted are members of the
Church of the Firstborn. Bruce R.
McConkie taught: “as The Church of Jesus Christ is [God’s] earthly church, so
The Church of the Firstborn is [God’s] heavenly church, albeit its members are
limited to exalted beings, for whom the family unit continues and who gain an
inheritance in the highest heaven of the celestial world” (The Promised
Messiah, p.47).
The sacred ordinances performed in the temple are essential
in becoming a member of the Church of the Firstborn. This was made clear by
Joseph Smith. On May 4, 1842, the day the Prophet introduced the temple
ordinances of the washing and anointing and the endowment in this dispensation,
he wrote:
I spent the day in the
upper part of the store . . . in council with General James Adams, of
Springfield, Patriarch Hyrum Smith, Bishops Newel K. Whitney and George Miller,
and President Brigham Young and Elders Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards,
instructing them in the principles and order of the Priesthood, attending to
washings, anointings, endowments and the communication of keys pertaining to
the Aaronic Priesthood, and so on to the highest order of the Melchizedek
Priesthood, setting forth the order pertaining to the Ancient of Days, and all
those plans and principles by which any one is enabled to secure the fullness
of those blessing which have been prepared for the Church of the Firstborn, and
come up and abide in the presence of the Eloheim in the eternal worlds. (History of the Church
5:1-2; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.237; emphasis added)
In line with this, Brigham
Young who was in attendance on this occasion later stated: “The ordinances of
the house of God are expressly for the Church of the Firstborn” (Discourses
of Brigham Young, p.397; and Journal of Discourse, 8:154).
Though D&C 76:51-53 (quoted earlier) does not
specifically state that temple ordinances are necessary for entrance into the
Church of the Firstborn, it is, however, implied in verse 53 which states that
one of the prerequisites for those who qualify for the celestial kingdom are
those “who overcome by faith.” In 1835, Joseph Smith taught the Quorum of the
Twelve that temple ordinances were a necessary part of overcoming all things: “You
need an endowment, brethren, in order that you may be prepared and able to
overcome all things” (History of the Church, 2:309; Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, p.91).
Joseph Fielding Smith taught necessity of temple ordinances
to become a member of the Church of the Firstborn in these terms:
The higher ordinances in
the
He then stated:
To become a member of the
Church of the Firstborn, as I understand it, is to become one of the inner
circle. We are all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
by being baptized and confirmed, and there are many who seem to be content to
remain such without obtaining the privileges of exaltation. (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:42).
Again, on another occasion,
he wrote:
Each person baptized into
the Church is under obligation to keep the commandments of the Lord. He is
under covenant, for baptism is a “new and an everlasting covenant.” (D.C.
22:1.) When he has proved himself by a worthy life, having been faithful in all
things required of him, then it is his privilege to receive other covenants and
to take upon himself other obligations which will make of him an heir, and he
will become a member of the “Church of the Firstborn.” (The Way to Perfection,
p.208)
Finally, he taught:
The Lord has made it
possible for us to become members of the Church of the Firstborn, by receiving
the blessings of the house of the Lord and overcoming all things. Thus we
become heirs, “priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his
glory,” who shall “dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and
ever,” with full exaltation. Are such blessings worth having? (Doctrines of Salvation,
2:42-43)
Likewise, Bruce R. McConkie
testified: “The temple ordinances open the door to gaining all power and all
wisdom and all knowledge.
The temple ordinances of washing and anointing, endowment,
and sealings are not isolated ordinances but are interrelated. The marriage
ordinance is the culmination of all ordinances of the priesthood. Elder Boyd K.
Packer has noted that all other ordinances of salvation “were preliminary and
preparatory to your coming to the altar to be sealed as husband and wife for
time and for all eternity (The Holy Temple, p. 69). As the culminating
ordinance, temple marriage is gate into the highest level of the celestial
kingdom and thus the gate into the Church of the Firstborn. Bruce R. McConkie
has written:
The Church of the Firstborn is the church among exalted
beings in the highest heaven of the celestial world. It is the church among
those for whom the family unit continues in eternity. In a sense it is the
inner circle within the Lord’s church on earth. It is composed of those who
have entered into that patriarchal order which is called the new and
everlasting covenant of marriage. As baptism admits repentant souls to
membership in the earthly church, so celestial marriage opens the door to
membership in the heavenly church. (A New Witness for
the Articles of Faith, p.337)
On an earlier occasion, he stated:
We believe something more, as several of these brethren have
said during this conference: that neither is the man without the woman nor the
woman without the man in the Lord, but that the gate to exaltation and the
fullness of eternal life in the kingdom of the Father is the new and everlasting
covenant of marriage; and just as men may enter in at the gate of repentance
and baptism, and work out for themselves a salvation hereafter by faith and
diligence, so they may enter in at the gate of celestial marriage, and,
conditioned upon keeping that covenant, come up in the resurrection as husband
and wife, the family unit continuing through all eternity, and thus, eventually
– as members of the family of God, members of the Church of the Firstborn –
become joint heirs with Jesus Christ, and receive, inherit, and possess all
things. (Conference Report, October 1954,
p.125)
The
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints exists to
prepare God’s children to enter the Church of the Firstborn. Elder McConkie
wrote: “The purpose of the church on earth is to prepare us for an inheritance
in the church in heaven” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith,
p.337).
Hence the Lord stated that those who are ordained to the
priesthood in the last days are “ordained unto the holy order of God, to
administer the everlasting gospel; for they are they who are ordained out of
every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the angels to whom is given power
over the nations of the earth, to bring as many as will come to the church
of the Firstborn” (D&C 77:11; emphasis added).
Blessings of the Church
of the Firstborn
Joseph Smith declared the blessings of those who enter the
Church of the Firstborn in these words: “They who dwell in his presence are the
church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are
known, having received of his fulness and of his grace; And he makes them equal
in power, and in might, and in dominion” (D&C 76:94-95). In other words,
those who receive the highest level of the celestial kingdom become as God,
exalted beings who are equal in power, might, and dominion with the Father. To
them “the Father has given all things” even of “his fulness, and of his glory”
(D&C 76:55-56). They “inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and
powers, dominions, all heights and depths” (D&C 132:19).
Thus they become gods themselves. Having been made equal
with God’s power, dominion, and authority, they do the work of gods: “to bring
to pass the immortality and eternal life” of their own offspring.
Communication With Church
of the Firstborn
It is the privilege of those who have received temple
ordinances and have been faithful in the covenants made therein to be able to
communicate with the Church of the Firstborn. Concerning this, the Lord has
said: “The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to
hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church–To have the
privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the
heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and church of
the Firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father,
and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant” (D&C 107:18-19; emphasis
added).
How and when does this communication take place? This is one
of the privileges of those who make their calling and election sure (though it
is possible that certain circumstances may require that this communication take
place prior to one’s calling and election is made sure- see Parley P. Pratt’s
talk given at the laying of the cornerstones of the Salt Lake Temple on April
6, 1853 in Journal of Discourses, 2:43-47). In June of 1839, Joseph
Smith taught the Church:
After
a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the
remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands),
which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before
God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of
God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted.
When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that
the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his
calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive
the other Comforter . . .
He then stated:
Now what is this other Comforter? It is
no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself; and this is the sum and
substance of the whole matter; that when any man obtains this last Comforter,
he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him
from time to time, and even He will manifest the Father unto him, and they will
take up their abode with him, and the visions of the heavens will be opened
unto him, and the Lord will teach him face to face, and he may have a perfect
knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God; and this is the state and
place the ancient Saints arrived at when they had such glorious visions –
Isaiah, Ezekiel, John upon the Isle of Patmos, St. Paul in the three heavens,
and all the Saints who held communion with the general assembly and Church of
the Firstborn. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, p.150).
Such communication with the Church of the
Firstborn is for personal edification and is not shared publically. Joseph
Smith spoke of certain Biblical saints who had communicated with the “general
assembly and church of the firstborn” (see Hebrews 12:22-23). He asked: “What
did they learn by coming to the spirits of just men made perfect? Is it
written? No. What they learned has not been and could not have been written” (Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.325)
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:107.)
107
And then shall the angels be crowned with the glory of his might, and the
saints shall be filled with his glory, and receive their inheritance and be
made equal with him.
All men and women, like Christ, are
made in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:27; Pearl of Great Price, Moses
2:27), and so it is neither robbery nor heresy for the children of God to
aspire to be like God (Matt. 5:48; Philip. 2:6) like any parent, our Heavenly
Father would want his children to become and be all that he is. Godhood comes
through overcoming the world through the Atonement of Christ (1 Jn. 5:4-5; Rev.
2:7, 11; D&C 76:51-60), becoming
heirs of God and joint-heirs with the Savior, who is the natural Heir (Rom.
8:17; Gal. 4:7), and thus inheriting all things, just as Christ inherits
all things (1 Cor. 3:21-23; Rev. 21:7; D&C 76:55, 95;
84:38; D&C 88:107 88:107). The faithful are received into the “church
of the Firstborn” (Heb. 12:23; D&C 76:54,
67, 94; 93:22), meaning they inherit as though they
were the firstborn. In that glorified state we will be conformed to the image
of the Lord (Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 15:49; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Jn. 3:2; Book of Mormon,
Alma 5:14), receive his glory, and be one with him and with the Father (John
17:21-23; Philip. 3:21).
(Robert L.
Millet, The Mormon Faith: Understanding Restored Christianity [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 194.)
(Revelation 3:21.)
21
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also
overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Christ will
grant to the faithful the opportunity to sit with Him as He sits with the
Father. We need to live our lives His
way fir this to happen.
1st
Day of Creation – Light or power by which the earth can be organized over a
progression of days. Things are
transformed over time; God is all knowing and all powerful.
The Father
has turned the power over to the Son, which power can be called the Light of
Christ.
Moses
1:33-34 – The first man is always called “Adam” Hebrew for mankind. Worlds are created for man, don’t worry about
other worlds, God will only tell Moses about this one. Why?
Moses 1:39.
Moses chapter 1 – 4 important
truths:
- Man is the offspring of God,
(like a seed with all the attributes of the mother plant, needs light to
grow and achieve its potential).
Man’s potential is to become like God. Moses 1:4
- Gods work and glory is the
immortality and eternal life of man.
Moses 1:39
- God is all powerful. Moses 1:3
- God will never override our
agency. God has the power to save
all men who believe and have faith in Christ and have a changed life.
Moses 1 – His
1-8 – Moses
with God and asks questions, Who and Why not How.
9-23 –
Moses alone (weakness) confrontation with Satan
24-42 –
Moses is with God again, witness to His glory, this is after he overcomes Satan
Moses is a
representation of all of us.
How do we receive the power of God,
the power of faith?
The power of faith and the results of
gospel living. There
is perhaps no greater illustration in all of scripture regarding the power of
simple faith in the word and ways of God than that of the brother of Jared.
Here we see a man who acknowledged his fallen condition and his weakness before
the Lord, who prayed for forgiveness, expressed his trust in and need for
divine assistance, and watched as the veil was parted and the powers of heaven
were made manifest (see Ether 3).
(Joseph
Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of
Mormon, 4 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1987-1992], 4: 291.)
THE POWER OF FAITH
President Marion G. Romney
“Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1.)
“Being justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by
faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God.” (Romans 5:1-2.)
In his preface to the Book of
Commandments, the Lord said that one of his purposes in giving Joseph Smith
this revelation was “that faith also might increase in the earth.” (D&C
1:21.)
The Prophet Joseph Smith named “faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ” as the first principle of the gospel.
Blessed is he who, based on a
knowledge of the gospel, has unshakable faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Such a
one has for his goal the attainment of eternal life. He has an anchor to his
soul, and a motive for action.
1. The possessor of such a faith
has a sound understanding of the purpose of life.
He knows that God lives. He knows
that he himself is a begotten child of God, and that as such he is endowed with
the potential eventually to rise to the full stature of his Heavenly Father.
And he is intimately acquainted with the plan by which he may do so. Thus
fortified, he is not “driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:6), but stands
serene and confident amid the ups and downs of life. Like the
61
The possessor of such faith has a sure test by which to distinguish
truth from error.
He knows that he lives in a day of
great conflict between good and evil; that anti-Christs stalk the earth in all
lands; that false philosophies and doctrines emanating from the Prince of
Darkness are being presented in such an appealing manner as almost to deceive
the very elect. All this he knows and more.
He knows that earth was created to be
a battleground for the souls of men; that this life is a testing time; that in
mortality men must struggle between the two mighty forces of truth and error.
He is strengthened for the conflict
by the knowledge that God, his Heavenly Father, has not abandoned him in the
struggle, but has put within his reach the knowledge and wisdom upon which he
can correctly distinguish good from evil. He knows that such knowledge has been
revealed from heaven and that it may be found in the scriptures and in the
teachings of the living prophets.
He knows this because he has studied
and searched scriptures and has listened to and pondered what the living prophets
say. He has also fasted and prayed about the teachings of the scriptures and
living prophets. He knows from his own experience that faith comes from
searching, hearing, pondering, and praying about the word of God. He knows that
he himself has the gift of revelation by which he may not only correctly
interpret the scriptures and the teachings of the living prophets, but also
properly conduct his own personal affairs.
He is not led astray by false
teachings, theories, and philosophies, for he tests them by his knowledge of
revealed truth. If they do not comport therewith, he rejects them or at least
holds them in abeyance until all the facts are in. His knowledge and faith
enable him to distinguish between truth and error. The manner and importance of
so doing we learn from Mormon, who said to the saints in his day:
“Take heed, my beloved brethren, that
ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of
God to be of the devil. . . .
“For behold, the Spirit of Christ is
given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you
the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to
believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye
may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
“But whatsoever thing persuadeth men
to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye
may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner
doth the devil work.”
Then he adds this caution: “And now,
my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light
is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same
judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.” (
3. The possessor of such faith is
fortified in his courage to resist temptation and live true to his convictions.
Consider, for example, Joseph in
61
The possessor of a well-informed faith enjoys peace of mind in the days
of trial.
There is no greater blessing. There
comes a time in the life of every soul, be he ever so self-confident and
well-adjusted, when without such an inner peace he sinks into the valley of
despair.
For the comfort, encouragement, and
guidance of the members of his infant Church, the Lord said in August 1830: “Listen
to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Lord, your God, and your Redeemer, whose
word is quick and powerful. . . .
“Lift up your hearts and rejoice, and
gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to
withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand.
“Stand, therefore, having your loins
girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your
feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine
angels to commit unto you;
“Taking the shield of faith wherewith
ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;
“And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I
reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me,
and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye
shall be also. Amen.” (D&C 27:1, 15-18.)
Great is the power of faith, and
great are the rewards for faithfulness!
(Faith [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1983], 10.)
Moses 2 –
The way God exercises His power or faith, it’s the way He works.
Moses 2:27
– Man is created in the image of God. We
are here to create offspring and have dominion (priesthood keys) over the
earth. Adam has the priesthood keys.
Moses 3:7 –
(1) Adam was created (2) Garden was created (3) Trees created good & evil
(4) Adam was given the command not to eat from it.
Moses 6:22
– Genealogy of the sons of Adam, He was the son of God, after the fall he then
received the saving ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ and could be
called again a son of God, see verse 68.
The Role of
Helpmeet – equal, opposite, counterpart, like the wings of a plane, both are
necessary and critical for the flight of the plane.
3:16 multiply thy sorrow . . . ; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth
children
Sorrow is used in Genesis 3:16 and 17 to
translate the Hebrew ‘etzev, which connotes “toil, pain, travail.”
Doubtless the burdens and pain of pregnancy and childbirth were thereby
anticipated (Gen. 3:16b).
This is a great revelation to women.
Eve and her daughters can become cocreators with God by preparing bodies for
his spirit children to occupy on earth and later in eternity. Mothering would
entail inconvenience, suffering, travail, and sorrow; these the Lord foretold
as natural consequences and not as a curse. Satan had sinned and was justly
cursed; but Eve had made a reasonable choice and was told some of the results
of that choice. Later, she rejoiced when she learned about the ultimate results
(Moses 5:11; 1 Tim. 2:15).
In mothering, nurturing, and caring
for children, mothers (and women who adopt or otherwise give loving care to
children) develop that most godlike virtue called mother love (Gen. 3:16a-e).
3:16 thy desire shall be to thy husband . . . rule over thee
In the Hebrew text there is often a
depth of meaning not evident in the translated words. An intimate, loving, and
righteous relationship is implied, but it must be fostered (Eph. 5:25-33; Col.
3:19-21; D&C 121:41-42).
3:17-19 cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of
it
As in Genesis 3:16, the Hebrew word
translated sorrow connotes toil, pain, and travail (Gen. 3:17c).
Woman would suffer one kind in her mothering functions, and man another—in
sweat and toil, as provider and protector. The ground was cursed, but humankind
was not; and the ground was cursed for their “sake,” so that humankind might
learn good from evil by experiencing both. Thus the ground was cursed to bring
forth opposites of all sorts, including weeds (thorns and thistles) rather than
only the plants of Eden, which were all “pleasant to the sight, and good for
food” (Gen. 2:9 and fn.).
3:19 till thou return unto the ground . . . , and unto dust shalt thou
return
The inevitable separation of the
spirit body from the mortal body of “dust” is sometimes symbolized by related
Hebrew words such as adam (“mankind”), dam (“blood”), and adamah
(“ground” or “dust”) in the scriptures (Gen. 3:19c-d).
3:20 Adam called his wife’s name Eve . . . the mother of all living
The Hebrew form of her name is Chavvah,
related to chayyah, “life”; thus her name prophetically signifies her
giving and sustaining life.
3:21 clothed them
The Lord clothed Adam and Eve with
garments of skins (Gen. 3:21a) as coverings for their naked bodies. The
Hebrew word translated coats is really the name of a garment worn next
to the skin. Their garments would impress them with the sanctity of the body
and protect it from abuses. Profane exhibition is now commonly used to entice
people to actions having little to do with the primary and proper purposes and
potential of these beautifully formed and marvelous bodies.
3:22-24 the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil
The truth that Satan had enticingly
mixed with a falsehood was confirmed; by use of their agency, the man and woman
did begin to “be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5). But to prevent
their choosing to return to the primeval “good” of an easy life in the Garden
of Eden where perfect food was freely available, they were sent out of the
garden, and the way to the “tree of life” was closed and guarded. As the Lord
doubtless intended, humankind’s challenge to find ways to satisfy needs and
alleviate discomforts has resulted in the development of much pure and applied
science and art, ever since humankind was launched into this world of
experience and enterprise.
3:24 Cherubims, and a flaming sword
Ever since the supernatural guardians
were placed at the gateway to
The nature of the “flaming sword
which turned every way” (Heb., lit., “gyrating flame of the sword”) has also
not been revealed. Compare the supernatural phenomenon described in Ezekiel
1:4.
3:24 tree of life
The symbolic tree (Gen. 2:9c;
commentary on Gen. 2:8-9, 15) had functions at the beginning and will again at
the end of the earth’s program. References to it in the last book of the Bible
are informative, and those in the Book of Mormon also broaden and deepen the
meanings and concepts associated with that remarkable “tree.”
(Ellis T.
Rasmussen, A Latter-day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament [Salt Lake
City: Deseret, 1993], 17.)
Moses
3:18-22 – Man should not be alone, animals were created and Adam named each
one, and woman was created symbolically from Adam’s rib, to be coequal with
man.
Adam became
a husband and Eve a wife. They are
leaving their Heavenly parents and cleaving to each other.
THE ORIGIN OF MAN
By The First Presidency of the Church
Messages of the First Presidency, 4:200-206
“God created man in his own
image.”
Inquiries arise from time to
time respecting the attitude of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
upon questions which, though not vital from a doctrinal standpoint, are closely
connected with the fundamental principles of salvation. The latest inquiry of
this kind that has reached us is in relation to the origin of man. It is
believed that a statement of the position held by the Church upon this
important subject will be timely and productive of good.
In presenting the statement
that follows we are not conscious of putting forth anything essentially new;
neither is it our desire so to do. Truth is what we wish to present, and truth –
eternal truth – is fundamentally old. A restatement of the original attitude of
the Church relative to this matter is all that will be attempted here. To tell
the truth as God has revealed it, and commend it to the acceptance of those who
need to conform their opinions thereto, is the sole purpose of this
presentation.
“God created man in his own
image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” In
these plain and pointed words the inspired author of the book of Genesis made
known to the world the truth concerning the origin of the human family. Moses,
the prophet-historian, “learned,” as we are told, “in all the wisdom of the
Egyptians,” when making this important announcement, was not voicing a mere
opinion, a theory derived from his researches into the occult lore of that
ancient people. He was speaking as the mouthpiece of God, and his solemn
declaration was for all time and for all people. No subsequent revelator of the
truth has contradicted the great leader and lawgiver of
The creation was two-fold
firstly spiritual, secondly temporal. This truth, also, Moses plainly taught
much more plainly than it has come down to us in the imperfect translations of
the Bible that are now in use. Therein the fact of a spiritual creation,
antedating the temporal creation, is strongly implied, but the proof of it is
not so clear and conclusive as in other records held by the Latter-day Saints
to be of equal authority with the Jewish scriptures. The partial obscurity of
the latter upon the point in question is owing, no doubt, to the loss of those “plain
and precious” parts of sacred writ, which, as the Book of Mormon informs us,
have been taken away from the Bible during its passage down the centuries (I
Nephi 13:24-29). Some of these missing parts the Prophet Joseph Smith undertook
to restore when he revised those scriptures by the spirit of revelation, the
result being that more complete account of the creation which is found in the
book of Moses, previously cited. Note the following passages:
And now, behold, I say unto
you, that these are the generations of the heaven and of the earth, when they
were created, in the day that I, the Lord God, made the heaven and the earth;
And every plant of the field
before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew.
For I, the Lord God, created
all things of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon
the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the
face of the earth.
And I, the Lord God, had
created all the children of men, and not yet a man to till the ground; for in
heaven created I them, and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in
the water, neither in the air.
But, I, the Lord God, spake,
and there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the
ground.
And I, the Lord God, formed
man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of
life; and man became a living soul, the first flesh upon the earth, the first
man also.
Nevertheless, all things
were before created, but spiritually were they created and made, according to
my word (Pearl of Great Price – Book of Moses, 3: 4-7. See also chapters 1 and
2, and compare with Genesis 1 and 2).
These two points being
established, namely, the creation of man in the image of God, and the two-fold
character of the creation, let us now inquire: What was the form of man, in the
spirit and in the body, as originally created? In a general way the answer is
given in the words chosen as the text of this treatise. “God created man in his
own image.” It is more explicitly rendered in the Book of Mormon thus: “All men
were created in the beginning after mine own image: (Ether 3:15). It is the
Father who is speaking. If, therefore, we can ascertain the form of the “Father
of spirits,” “The God of the spirits of all flesh,” we shall be able to
discover the form of the original man.
Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, is “the express image” of His Father’s person (Hebrews 1:3). He walked the
earth as a human being, as a perfect man, and said, in answer to a question put
to Him: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). This alone
ought to solve the problem to the satisfaction of every thoughtful, reverent
mind. The conclusion is irresistible, that if the Son of God be the express
image (that is, likeness) of His Father’s person, then His Father is in the
form of man; for that was the form of the Son of God, not only during His
mortal life, but before His mortal birth, and after His resurrection. It was in
this form that the Father and the Son, as two personages, appeared to Joseph
Smith, when, as a boy of fourteen years, he received his first vision. Then if
God made man–the first man –in His own image and likeness, he must have made
him like unto Christ, and consequently like unto men of Christ’s time and of
the present day. That man was made in the image of Christ, is positively stated
in the Book of Moses: “And I, God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with
me from the beginning, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and it
was so. * * * And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine
Only Begotten created I him, male and female created I them” (2:26, 27).
The Father of Jesus is our
Father also. Jesus Himself taught this truth, when He instructed His disciples
how to pray: “Our Father which art in heaven,” etc. Jesus, however, is the
firstborn among all the sons of God the first begotten in the spirit, and the
only begotten in the flesh. He is our elder brother, and we, like Him, are in
the image of God. All men and women are in the similitude of the universal
Father and Mother, and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity.
“God created man in His own
image.” This is just as true of the spirit as it is of the body, which is only
the clothing of the spirit, its complement; the two together constituting the
soul. The spirit of man is in the form of man, and the spirits of all creatures
are in the likeness of their bodies. This was plainly taught by the Prophet
Joseph Smith (Doctrine and Covenants, 77: 2).
Here is further evidence of
the fact. More than seven hundred years before Moses was shown the things
pertaining to this earth, another great prophet, known to us as the brother of
Jared, was similarly favored by the Lord. He was even permitted to behold the
spirit-body of the foreordained Savior, prior to His incarnation; and so like
the body of a man was gazing upon a being of flesh and blood. He first saw the
finger and then the entire body of the Lord – all in the spirit. The Book of
Mormon says of this wonderful manifestation:
And it came to pass that
when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched
forth His hand and touched the stones one by one with His finger; and the veil
was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of
the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the
brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear.
And the Lord saw that the
brother of Jared had fallen to the earth; and the Lord said unto him, Arise,
why hast thou fallen?
And he saith unto the Lord,
I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew
not that the Lord had flesh and blood.
And the Lord said unto him,
Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood;
and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for
were it not so, ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?
And he answered, Nay, Lord,
show thyself unto me.
And the Lord said unto him,
Believest thou the words which I shall speak?
And he answered, Yea, Lord,
I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth and canst not
lie.
And when he had said these
words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said, Because thou knowest
these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into
my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.
Behold, I am He who was
prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am
Jesus Christ, I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have light,
and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall
become my sons and my daughters.
And never have I shewed
myself unto man whom I have created, for never hath man believed in me as thou
hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image?, Yea, even all men
were created in the beginning after mine own image.
Behold, this body, which ye
now behold, is the body of my spirit, and man have I created after the body of
my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit, will I appear
unto my people in the flesh. (Ether 3:6-16.)
What more is needed to
convince us that man, both in spirit and in body, is the image and likeness of
God, and that God Himself is in the form of man?
When the divine Being whose
spirit-body the brother of Jared beheld, took upon Him flesh and blood, He
appeared as a man, having “body, parts and passions,” like other men, though
vastly superior to all others, because He was God, even the Son of God, the
Word made flesh: in Him “dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” And why
should He not appear as a man? That was the form of His spirit, and it must
needs have an appropriate covering, a suitable tabernacle. He came into the
world as He had promised to come (III Nephi, 1: 13), taking an infant
tabernacle, and developing it gradually to the fulness of His spirit stature.
He came as man had been coming for ages, and as man has continued to come ever
since. Jesus, however, as shown, was the only begotten of God in the flesh.
Adam, our progenitor, “the
first man,” was, like Christ, a pre-existent spirit, and like Christ he took
upon him an appropriate body, the body of a man, and so became a “living soul.”
The doctrine of the pre-existence, -- revealed so plainly, particularly in
latter days, pours a wonderful flood of light upon the otherwise mysterious
problem of man’s origin. It shows that man, as a spirit, was begotten and born
of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the
Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal body to undergo an
experience in mortality. It teaches that all men existed in the spirit before
any man existed in the flesh, and that all who have inhabited the earth since
Adam have taken bodies and become souls in like manner.
It is held by some that Adam
was not the first man upon this earth, and that the original human being was a
development from lower orders of the animal creation. These, however, are the
theories of men. The word of the Lord declares that Adam was “the first man of
all men” (Moses 1:34), and we are therefore in duty bound to regard him as the
primal parent of our race. It was shown to the brother of Jared that all men
were created in the beginning after the image of God; and whether we take this
to mean the spirit or the body, or both, it commits us to the same conclusion:
Man began life as a human being, in the likeness of our heavenly Father.
True it is that the body of
man enters upon its career as a tiny germ embryo, which becomes an infant,
quickened at a certain stage by the spirit whose tabernacle it is, and the
child, after being born, develops into a man. There is nothing in this,
however, to indicate that the original man, the first of our race, began life
as anything less than a man, or less than the human germ or embryo that becomes
a man.
Man, by searching, cannot
find out God. Never, unaided, will he discover the truth about the beginning of
human life. The Lord must reveal Himself, or remain unrevealed; and the same is
true of the facts relating to the origin of Adam’s race –God alone can reveal
them. Some of these facts, however, are already known, and what has been made
known it is our duty to receive and retain.
The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, basing its belief on divine revelation, ancient and
modern, proclaims man to be the direct and lineal offspring of Deity. God
Himself is an exalted man, perfected, enthroned, and supreme. By His almighty
power He organized the earth, and all that it contains, from spirit and
element, which exist co-eternally with Himself. He formed every plant that
grows, and every animal that breathes, each after its own kind, spiritually and
temporally – “that which is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is
temporal, and that which is temporal in the likeness of that which is
spiritual.” He made the tadpole and the ape, the lion and the elephant but He
did not make them in His own image, nor endow them with Godlike reason and
intelligence. Nevertheless, the whole animal creation will be perfected and
perpetuated in the Hereafter, each class in its “distinct order or sphere,” and
will enjoy “eternal felicity.” That fact has been made plain in this
dispensation (Doctrine and Covenants, 77: 3).
Man is the child of God,
formed in the divine image and endowed with divine attributes, and even as the
infant son of an earthly father and mother is capable in due time of becoming a
man, so the undeveloped offspring of celestial parentage is capable, by
experience through ages and aeons, of evolving into a God.
JOSEPH F. SMITH,
JOHN R. WINDER,
ANTHON H. LUND,
First Presidency of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Moses
4:5-13 – This is a simple account of the fall (figuratively), the mechanism by
which mortality is introduced, this way agency is intact without God being held
responsible.
The “Fall.” Biblical lore and ancient traditions
among nearly all races of man, tell of the “fall” of the first parents from the
grace of God. An event called the “fall” did occur, but it was a necessary part
of the Great Plan. Adam and Eve were eternal beings, not under the ban of mortal
death. Subject to death they must become, however, if their posterity should
inherit corruptible bodies. The fall was a deliberate use of a law, by which
Adam and Eve became mortal, and could beget mortal children. The exact nature
of this event or the exact manner in which the law was used is not understood.
The Bible account is, undoubtedly, only figurative. There was no essential sin
in the “fall,” except that the violation of any law, whether deliberate or
otherwise, is always followed by an effect. The “fall” of Adam and Eve was
necessary, for without it there would have been no begetting on the earth of
spirits with mortal bodies, and the Plan proposed and confirmed in the Great
Council would have remained inoperative. “Adam fell that man might be.” Adam
and Eve, in view of the great sacrifices they made to make the Great Plan a
reality, are the great hero and heroine of human history.
(John A.
Widtsoe, A Rational Theology [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1937],
51 – 52.)
The Mystery of
Joseph Fielding McConkie
What of
What of
The confusion of tongues in the city
of
The scriptural account of the birth
of Adam is a sacred metaphor, as is the account of the birth of his eternal
companion, Eve. Indeed, it is Adam and the Lord who are quoted in the discourse
by Enoch in which we are told that all mankind are born of the dust of the
earth (see Moses 6:49-59). Thus the promise to Adam that in death his body
would return to the dust from whence it was taken (Moses 4:25) is extended to
all his posterity. “All are of the dust, and all turn to dust again” (Eccl.
3:20; see also Mosiah 2:25).
The imagery used to veil the account
of Eve’s birth is most beautiful, particularly so in a day when there is so
much confusion about the role of women. Symbolically, she was not taken from
the bones of Adam’s head nor from the bones of his heel, for it is not the
place of woman to be either above the man or beneath him. Her place is at his
side, and so she is taken, in the figurative sense, from his rib-the bone that
girds the side and rests closest to the heart. Thus we find Adam declaring: “This
I know now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called
Woman, because she was taken out of man” (Moses 3:23). Eve, unlike the rest of
God’s creations, was of Adam’s bone and of his flesh, meaning that she was
equal to him in powers, faculties, and rights.
“Therefore,” the divine word attests,
“shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife;
and they shall be one flesh” (Moses 3:24). Thus, because Eve was of his flesh
and of his bone-because she was his equal in creation and in divine
endowment-Adam was to leave his father and his mother, as all men were to do
after him, and cleave unto his wife and none else (see Matt. 19:5-6). All men
and women are commanded to do likewise; that is, they (the newly formed
couple), like their first earthly parents, are to be “one flesh”; they are to
be as if they had one body, thus suggesting that they cannot properly have
separate cares or concerns, different rights or varied privileges. The phrase
also suggests that as Adam and Eve were in the image and likeness of their
parents, so their posterity would be in their image and likeness.
How literally do we take the story of
the Garden of Eden? This we know: Adam was real. He was as real as Christ. For
if Adam was not real the Fall was not real; and if the Fall was not real the Atonement
was not real; and if the Atonement was not real Jesus the Christ is not and was
not necessary. Of some parts of the
What then became of
As to what became of
What of the trees of
If we were to reason that it was the
fruit itself that brought about this change in the bodies of Adam and Eve, we
would then have to suppose that our first parents fed some of the fruit to all
the other living things upon the whole earth. Had they not done so, “all things
which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were
after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end”
(2 Ne. 2:22; see also Moses 3:9). Every plant and animal, including all sea
life and the fowls of the air, would have been required to eat some of this
fruit (and must also have been precluded from partaking of it either by design
or accident before this point of time).
What of the serpent that beguiled Eve
into partaking of the forbidden fruit? Did animals in
Whether a serpent was actually the
agent of deception in the
What, then, do we conclude of the
Should it ever be our privilege to
call upon father Adam and ask him to share with us his treasured memories of
A rehearsal of the key events of
After Adam and Eve had partaken of
the forbidden fruit, but before they were expelled from the garden, the Father
taught them the law of sacrifice. Animals were slain that Adam and Eve might be
clothed in “coats of skins” (Moses 4:27) that were to be a protection to them
in our fallen world. Adam and Eve subsequently learned that the shedding of the
animals’ blood was in similitude of the atoning blood of Christ (Moses 5:7). Thus
the garments given them in
Adam and Eve were further instructed
by an angel of the Lord that they were to take upon them the name of Christ and
that all they did was to be done in his name (Moses 5:8). Thus as God had
clothed them in coats or garments of skin as a token of the protection provided
them through Christ, a protection from the effects of a fallen world, so they
were to clothe themselves in his name by faith, and in that name they were to
do all that they did that pertained to salvation or to things of the Spirit.
Thus they were assured that they could overcome.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear,”
John wrote unto the seven churches in Asia, “what the Spirit saith unto the
churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life”
(Revelation 2:7). The fruit is the gospel of Jesus Christ and is described by
Lehi as being “desirable to make one happy” and as filling the soul with “exceedingly
great joy” (1 Ne. 8:10-12). To Nephi it was revealed that the tree of life-that
tree which stood in the midst of Eden-represented the love of God, and by
extension, the eternal life made possible by the atonement of the Son of God
(see 1 Ne. 11:4-21).
EFFECTS OF THE FALL
After Adam and Eve had partaken of
the forbidden fruit-thus becoming mortal and imposing mortality upon the earth
and all forms of life-they were driven out of the Garden of Eden to till the
earth, which is to say that the whole earth was destined to lose its
paradisiacal splendor. The change of the earth from its incorruptible state to
that of a fallen world is symbolized by Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the
garden. The garden-earth that once was-became the lone, dreary, and often
hostile earth that now is. The “cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned
every way to protect the tree of life” (Moses 4:31), constituted a symbolic
announcement that the earth could not return to its paradisiacal state while
death reigned. Until the great millennial day, the earth would be subject to
corruption.
As to the procreation that attends
mortality, Lehi said: “They [Adam and Eve] have brought forth children; yea,
even the family of all the earth” (2 Ne. 2:20). Eve is truly the mother of all
living; every living soul on earth is a descendant of Adam and Eve. “God … hath
made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth”
(Acts 17:24-26). All of earth’s inhabitants share a common father.
The days of the children of men were
prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the
flesh. The day within which their destined mortal death came was a thousand of
our years (Abr. 3:4; 5:13). “Wherefore,
their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened,
according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men.
For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men
that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.” (2 Ne.
2:21.) The effects of the Fall pass upon all men; all must repent; all must be
reconciled to God; all must be redeemed from death, hell, and endless torment.
“And now, behold, if Adam had not
transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden
of Eden.” He would be there today, nearly six thousand years later, because
there was no death before the Fall. “And all things which were created”-all
things: the earth, all forms of life, vegetation, trees, grass, herbs,
everything that comes from the ground; the fowl and fish and creeping things in
all their varieties; animals of every sort; the field mouse and the dinosaur-“all
things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they
were after they were created”-that is, in a paradisiacal state-“and they must
have remained forever, and had no end.” (2 Ne. 2:22.) There was no death –not
for man, not for fowl, not for fish, not for animals, not for any form of
life-until Adam fell.
“And they would have had no children;
wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for
they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin” (2 Ne. 2:23). Until
Adam and Eve transgressed they were innocent. There was no righteousness
because there was no wickedness; there was no good because there was no evil.
Hence, as we have seen, Adam needed to transgress in order to be put on
probation and be subject to sin, that he might reject sin, overcome, and
embrace righteousness.
“But behold, all things have been
done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.” Contrary to the beliefs of
traditional Christianity, Adam conformed to the will of the Lord when he
partook of the forbidden fruit. “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that
they might have joy.” (2 Ne. 2:24-25.) And joy is available only because of
misery, its opposite. If there were no misery, which could not exist in the
state of innocence before the Fall, there could be no joy. This is why Eve said
that if she and Adam had not transgressed, they “never should have had seed,
and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of [their] redemption,
and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient” (Moses 5:11).
As to the doctrine of the Fall, and
the philosophical basis upon which it rests, Alma tells us that “our first
parents” were cast out of Eden; that man became like God in the sense that he
knew good from evil; that cherubim and a flaming sword kept the way of the tree
of life; and that had fallen man partaken of the tree of life, he would have
lived forever in his sins. “And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto
man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God.” (
If, after the Fall, “Adam had put
forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have
lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance;
yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of
salvation would have been frustrated” (Alma 42:5). Again we learn that Adam’s
transgression brought probation, the necessity of repentance, the opportunities
to do good, and the possibility of salvation. “But behold, it was appointed
unto man to die-therefore, as they were cut off from the tree of life they
should be cut off from the face of the earth –and man became lost forever, yea,
they became fallen man” (Alma 42:6). Adam and Eve’s being cut off from the tree
of life means they became mortal and would not continue to live without death.
The mortal state, being lower than the immortal state, is thus a fallen state.
“And now, ye see by this that our
first parents were cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of
the Lord; and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own will.”
Temporal death is the natural death, the separation of body and spirit;
spiritual death is to die as pertaining to the things of the Spirit, which are
the things of righteousness. “Now behold, it was not expedient that man should
be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of
happiness.” (
“Therefore, as the soul [the spirit]
could never die, and the fall had brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as
well as a temporal, that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord,
it was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual death.”
Those who are reclaimed from spiritual death become alive to the things of
righteousness and are thereby qualified to return to the presence of the Lord. “Therefore,
as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature, this probationary
state became a state for them to prepare; it became a preparatory state.” (
CONCLUSION
From Genesis to Revelation no story
in scripture has been the source of more theological mischief than the story of
Sexual desire is evil; infants are
infected from the moment of conception with the stain of original sin; infants
that die without baptism are everlastingly lost; our paradisiacal state was
unnecessarily lost –each of these beliefs claims to be a fruit of
Indeed the story of
In the story of man’s earthly origin
we find the rich blend of figurative and literal that is so typical of the
Bible, of the teachings of Christ, and of our daily experience-this that the
story might unfold according to the faith and wisdom that we bring to it. Like
all scriptural texts, its interpretation becomes a measure of our maturity and
our spiritual integrity. Such is the mystery of
(Joseph
Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, eds., The Man Adam [Salt Lake
City: Bookcraft, 1990], 23.)
PARTAKING OF THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT
Let us back up for a moment and
consider in more detail the nature of Adam and Eve’s offense in
In other words, the only question to
be decided by Adam and Eve was whether they desired to remain in the Garden of
Eden. If they did—and there were certainly many things to recommend staying
there—then they were not to partake of the forbidden fruit. For if they partook
of the fruit, the Lord forbade them to stay in the garden. Or, as President
Joseph Fielding Smith put it: “The Lord said to Adam, here is the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil. If you want to stay here then you cannot eat of
that fruit. If you want to stay here then I forbid you to eat it. But you may
act for yourself and you may eat of it if you want to.” Fn
Truly the Latter-day Saints view the
scenes in
We speak of our first parents’
actions in
LIMITATIONS ON OUR KNOWLEDGE
I seldom begin any discussion of the
Creation or the Fall in one of my classes without setting forth at least three
disclaimers:
1. Everything has not been revealed.
All of the data are not in. Even with the inspired material in the books of
Moses and Abraham and in the temple endowment, we are not yet in a position to
answer all the questions that might arise from a discussion of these matters.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie thus stated that “our knowledge about the Creation is limited.
We do not know the how and why and when of all things. Our finite limitations
are such that we could not comprehend them if they were revealed to us in all
their glory, fulness, and perfection. What has been revealed is that portion of
the Lord’s eternal word which we must believe and understand if we are to
envision the truth about the Fall and the Atonement and thus become heirs of
salvation.” Fn
2. We cannot always tell which items
are literal and which are figurative. That is, we do not always know when the
scriptures are giving us symbolic imagery or when they provide a record of
literal events. We know, for example, that there was an Adam and an Eve, that
there was a Garden of Eden, and that the Fall was an actual historical event.
But what of the “rib story?” Was Eve really created from Adam’s rib, or is the
scripture pointing to a greater doctrinal reality? And what of the trees in the
garden and the fruit? Elder McConkie has written: “As to the fall, the
scriptures set forth that there were in the Garden of Eden two trees. One was
the tree of life, which figuratively refers to eternal life; the other was the
tree of knowledge of good and evil, which figuratively refers to how and why
and in what manner mortality and all that appertains to it came into being. . .
. Eve partook without full understanding [see 1 Timothy 2:14]; Adam partook
knowing that unless he did so, he and Eve could not have children and fulfill
the commandment they had received to multiply and replenish the earth.” In
short, to say that Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit is to say that
they “complied with whatever the law was that brought mortality into being.” Fn
61
We
do not know how much Adam and Eve knew and understood prior to their fall. Like
all of us, the knowledge of their premortal existence was veiled. In that
sense, then, they were required, as are we, to walk by faith. But unlike us,
they walked and talked with God, held immediate communion with him, and were
taught by him. They lived for a time in a state of naive innocence, but at the
same time Adam was appointed as lord or governor over the earth.
In one sense it is as important for
us to know what we do not know as it is to know what we know. To argue
or debate or quarrel over what the Lord has chosen to leave unclear for the
time being is foolish and certainly unproductive. We know there was a Creation.
We know there was a Fall. We know there was an Atonement. These are the three
pillars of eternity. We do not, however, have a complete understanding of all
the particulars of these three transcendent events. In regard to the Fall, it
should be sufficient for us to know that Adam and Eve and all forms of life are
required to partake of the fruits of mortality before we can partake of the
fruits of immortality in the Resurrection. Further, men and women cannot
partake of the fruit of the tree of life—that is, gain eternal life—while they
remain in their sins; mortal man simply cannot inherit immortal glory. It is as
though the Lord places cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way of
celestial glory so that we may surely understand that no unclean thing can
enter his presence. Repentance and redemption always and forevermore precede
exaltation.
Thus, as Alma taught, “if it were
possible that our first parents could have gone forth and partaken of the tree
of life they would have been forever miserable, having no preparatory state;
and thus the plan of redemption would have been frustrated, and the word of God
would have been void, taking none effect” (Alma 12:26). Or, in the words of
(Robert L.
Millet, The Power of the Word: Saving Doctrines from the Book of Mormon
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994], 67.)
The
Fall and the Purpose of Mortality
Sons of
Perdition are those who become apostates and are in open rebellion against God.
“Ye
who are quickened [resurrected] by a portion of the celestial glory shall then
receive of the same, even a fulness.
“And they who are quickened [resurrected] by a portion of
the terrestrial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
“And also they who are quickened [resurrected] by a portion
of the telestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
“And they who
remain shall also be quickened [resurrected]; nevertheless, they shall
return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to
receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have
received.” (D&C 88:29-31)
Joseph Fielding Smith
ALL
SAVED EXCEPT SONS OF PERDITION. It is a very pleasing and consoling thing to
know that the Lord will save all of his children, excepting the very few who
willfully rebel against him. When his children have paid the penalty of their
transgressions, they shall come forth from the clutches of the second death to
receive a place somewhere in the great heavenly kingdoms, which are prepared
for them with their several glories and degrees of salvation.
It
is the purpose of the Almighty to save all mankind, and all will enter into his
kingdoms in some degree of glory, except sons of perdition who sin beyond the
power of repentance and redemption, and therefore cannot receive forgiveness of
sins. All the rest shall be saved, but not all with the same degree of glory or
exaltation. Every man will be judged according to his works, his opportunities
for receiving the truth, and the intent of his heart. (Doctrines of
Salvation, 2:20-21)
DIFFERENCES
IN KIND OF RESURRECTED BODIES. In section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants, we
are taught that there is a difference in the kinds of resurrection. Some will
be raised with celestial bodies; some with terrestrial bodies, and some with
telestial bodies; and yet others will be raised with bodies without any
qualification or power of glory, and these will be sons of perdition. (Doctrines
of Salvation, 2:33)
SONS
OF PERDITION WILLFULLY REJECT ATONEMENT. With the Latter-day Saints, this is
not so. While it is true we teach that a man must comply with these principles
of the gospel in order to receive salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of
heaven – which is proved by many passages of scripture – nevertheless, we hold
out the hope that all may be saved, excepting the sons of perdition, a class
that ractice rejects the atonement of the Savior, for the Lord intends to save
all the workmanship of his hands, save these few who will not receive
salvation. Our doctrine consigns none others to perdition, but holds forth the
hope that all will eventually be saved in some degree of glory. (Doctrines
of Salvation, 2:140)
TWO
CLASSES OF SONS OF PERDITION. The great punishment received by these rebellious
spirits is that they are to remain without bodies eternally and are denied the
redemption through the atonement of Jesus Christ. They are banished forever
from the presence of God because they have lost the power of repentance, for
they chose evil by choice after having had the light. While dwelling in the
presence of God they knowingly entered into their rebellion. Their mission on
earth is to attempt to destroy the souls of men and make them miserable as they
themselves are miserable. These spirits are known as sons of perdition.
There
is another class of sons of perdition. This class is composed of all those who
have known the power of God in this mortal life and then, having full knowledge
of the power and purposes of God, rebel against him, putting Jesus Christ to
open shame.
The
Lord has defined this class as follows: “Thus saith the Lord concerning all
those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves
through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy
my power – They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it
had been better for them never to have been born; For they are vessels of
wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in
eternity; Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor
in the world to come – Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it,
and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him
unto themselves and put him to an open shame.
“These
are they who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil
and his angels – And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power;
Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the
Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.”
PUNISHMENT
OF SONS OF PERDITION. The extent of this punishment none will ever know except
those who partake of it. That it is the most severe punishment that can be
meted out to man is apparent. Outer darkness is something which cannot be
described, except that we know that it is to be placed beyond the benign and
comforting influence of the Spirit of God – banished entirely from his
presence.
This
extreme punishment will not be given to any but the sons of perdition. Even the
wicked of the earth who never knew the power of God, after they have paid the
price of their sinning – for they must suffer the excruciating torment which
sin will bring – shall at last come forth from the prison house, repentant and
willing to bow the knee and acknowledge Christ, to receive some influence of
the Spirit of God in the telestial kingdom.
“For
they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive
according to his own works, his own dominion, in the mansions which are
prepared; And they shall be servants of the Most High; but where God and Christ
dwell they cannot come, worlds without end.”
With
the sons of perdition, however, even this blessing is denied. They have
willfully made themselves servants of Satan and servants to him shall they
remain forever. They place themselves beyond the power of repentance and beyond
the mercies of God. (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:219-221)
Spencer W. Kimball
Those
who followed Lucifer in his rebellion in the premortal life and those who in
mortality sin against the Holy Ghost are sons of perdition. The ex-mortal sons
of perdition will be resurrected, as will everyone else; but they will finally
suffer the second death, the spiritual death, for “they are cut off again as to
things pertaining to righteousness.” (Hel. 14:18.)
In
the days of the restoration there apparently were those who taught that the
devil and his angels and the sons of perdition should sometime be restored. The
Prophet Joseph Smith would not countenance the teaching of this doctrine, and
sanctioned the decision of the bishop that any who taught it should be barred
from communion.
In
the realms of perdition or the kingdom of darkness, where there is no light,
Satan and the unembodied spirits of the pre-existence shall dwell together with
those of mortality who retrogress to the level of perdition. These have lost
the power of regeneration. They have sunk so low as to have lost the
inclinations and ability to repent, consequently the gospel plan is useless to
them as an agent of growth and development.
[Quotes
D&C 88:24]
[Quotes
D&C 76:31-38]
The
Prophet Joseph Smith gives us this further picture:
“.
. . Those who commit the unpardonable sin are doomed to Gnolom to dwell in
hell, worlds without end. As they concocted scenes of bloodshed in this world,
so they shall rise to that resurrection which is as the lake of fire and brimstone.
Some shall rise to the everlasting burnings of God; for God dwells in
everlasting burnings and some shall rise to the damnation of their own
filthiness, which is as exquisite a torment as the lake of fire and brimstone.”
Speculation
as to individual sons of perdition is at best unprofitable. Some have consigned Judas Iscariot to this doom, based on certain
scriptural passages. (See John 12:6; 6:70; 17:12; Acts 1:20.) President Joseph
F. Smith questions this interpretation:
“To my mind it strongly appears that
not one of the disciples possessed sufficient light, knowledge nor wisdom, at
the time of the crucifixion, for either exaltation or condemnation; for it was
afterward that their minds were opened to understand the scriptures, and that
they were endowed with power from on high; without which they were only
children in knowledge, in comparison to what they afterwards became under the
influence of the Spirit.” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, pp.125-127)
Patriarchal
order goes through 1 line for the keys of the priesthood. Adam’s son Abel received the keys; Cain would
not listen to Abel. Abel was in charge
of the temple, the sacrifice; he also was in charge of the sheep used for
sacrifice, Moses 5:20, 26.
“Before the
Lord” = Old Testament phraseology meaning the temple.
Seth takes
the place of Abel, the priesthood line continues through Seth.
The Sons of Adam
The account of Cain and Abel’s
offerings in Genesis 4 is brought to life and given a doctrinal context by the
Prophet’s inspired translation. We learn that God had commanded Adam, Eve, and
their posterity to “offer the firstlings of their flocks” as an offering, “in
similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father” (Moses 5:5-7).
Cain, one who “loved Satan more than God,” turned away from his parents’
teachings and entered into league with the father of lies. At Satan’s urging,
and in what seems to be a defiance of the command to offer a blood sacrifice,11
Cain “brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.” On the
other hand, Abel “hearkened unto the voice of the Lord” and “brought of the
firstlings of his flock.” The Lord “had respect unto Abel, and to his offering;
but unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect.” Cain then entered into
an unholy alliance with Satan, plotted and carried out the death of his brother
Abel, and instigated secret combinations in the land (Moses 5:18-51).
The Prophet Joseph explained that by
faith in the atonement of Christ and the plan of redemption, “Abel offered to
God a sacrifice that was accepted, which was the firstlings of the flock. Cain
offered of the fruit of the ground, and was not accepted, because he could not
do it in faith, he could have no faith, or could not exercise faith contrary to
the plan of heaven. It must be shedding the blood of the Only Begotten to atone
for man; for this was the plan of redemption; and without the shedding of blood
was no remission [see Hebrews 9:22]; and as the sacrifice was instituted for a
type, by which man was to discern the great Sacrifice which God had prepared;
to offer a sacrifice contrary to that, no faith could be exercised, because
redemption was not purchased in that way, nor the power of atonement instituted
after that order; consequently Cain could have no faith; and whatsoever is not
of faith, is sin.” The Prophet went on to say that however varied may be the
opinions of the learned “respecting the conduct of Abel, and the knowledge
which he had on the subject of atonement, it is evident in our minds, that he
was instructed more fully in the plan than what the Bible speaks of. . . .
“ . . . How could Abel offer a
sacrifice and look forward with faith on the Son of God for a remission of his
sins, and not understand the Gospel?” Now note what the Prophet asks: “And if
Abel was taught of the coming of the Son of God, was he not taught also of His
ordinances? We all admit that the Gospel has ordinances, and if so, had it
not always ordinances, and were not its ordinances always the same?”12
Further, Brother Joseph stated that God had “set
the ordinances to be the same forever and ever, and set Adam to watch over
them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them.”
That Adam “received revelations, commandments and ordinances at the beginning
is beyond the power of controversy; else how did they begin to offer sacrifices
to God in an acceptable manner? And if they offered sacrifices they must be
authorized by ordination.” The Prophet then quoted from the Apostle Paul: “’By
faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he
obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it
he being dead, yet speaketh’ (Hebrews 11:4). How doth he yet speak?” Joseph
asked. “Why he magnified the Priesthood which was conferred upon him,
and died a righteous man, and therefore has become an angel of God by receiving
his body from the dead, holding still the keys of his dispensation; and
was sent down from heaven unto Paul to minister consoling words, and to commit
unto him a knowledge of the mysteries of godliness.”
And then, as a type of summary on
these matters, the Prophet spoke concerning Cain and Abel: “The power, glory
and blessings of the Priesthood could not continue with those who received
ordination only as their righteousness continued; for Cain also being
authorized to offer sacrifice, but not offering it in righteousness, was
cursed. It signifies, then, that the ordinances must be kept in the very
way God has appointed; otherwise their Priesthood will prove a cursing instead
of a blessing.”13
We know little concerning the keys of Abel’s dispensation, spoken of
above, except for the fact that a modern revelation indicates that one line of
the priesthood descended “from Noah till Enoch, through the lineage of their
fathers; and from Enoch to Abel, who was slain by the conspiracy of his
brother, who received the priesthood by the commandments of God, by the hand
of his father Adam, who was the first man” (D&C 84:15-16; emphasis
added). With the murder of Abel and the defection of Cain to perdition, God
provided another son for Adam and Eve through which the blessings of the
evangelical priesthood or patriarchal order would continue. Seth was “ordained
by Adam at the age of sixty-nine years, and was blessed by him three years
previous to his (Adam’s) death, and received the promise of God by his father,
that his posterity should be the chosen of the Lord, and that they should be
preserved unto the end of the earth; because he (Seth) was a perfect man, and his
likeness was the express likeness of his father, insomuch that he seemed to be
like unto his father in all things, and could be distinguished from him only by
his age” (D&C 107:39-43; see also Moses 6:10-11).
(Robert L.
Millet, Selected Writings of Robert L. Millet: Gospel Scholars Series [
Life’s
circumstances brings out our true motives, do good things for different
motives, some are better more pure than others.
Moses 5:23
– The Lord commands Cain to make right choices or Satan will have him.
Adam
Patriarchal order to Abel then to Seth, D&C 84:16 and D&C 107:41-43.
Doctrine and Covenants 84:16
Why is the priesthood lineage here
traced through Abel rather than through Seth as it is in Doctrine and Covenants
107:41-43?
Doctrine and Covenants 84 affirms
that Moses’ priesthood could be traced back to Adam. Verses 15-16 do not
mention each individual in the early part of this priesthood line but simply
testify that the priesthood was passed down “through the lineage of their
fathers.” Doctrine and Covenants 107 serves a different purpose, emphasizing
that the office of patriarch was to be passed down from father to son. Because
Abel had been killed, Seth was the person who actually ordained his fifth great-grandson,
Lamech. That may explain why Seth, rather than Abel, is named in this
priesthood lineage.
(Richard O.
Cowan, Answers to Your Questions About the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1996], 97.)
Establishment
of the Church of the Lamb
versus Establishment of the
Church of the Devil
(With Cain as Ruler)
Selected
Quotes Concerning
The Purpose of Mortality
_________________________
General
Statements
D&C 101:32-33
Yea, verily I say unto you, in that day when the Lord shall
come, he shall reveal all things–Things which have passed, and hidden things
which no man knew, things of the earth, by which it was made, and the
purpose and the end thereof–
George Q. Cannon
God has placed us here upon the earth to accomplish
important purposes. These purposes have been in part revealed unto us.
Probably it is not possible for men and women in this mortal state of existence
to comprehend all the designs of God connected with man’s existence upon the
earth; but much has been revealed upon this subject to us as a people. (Gospel
Truth, 1:11)
Ezra Taft Benson
Life has a fourfold purpose. First of all, we come to this mortal life to receive a physical,
mortal body. Without a physical body man is limited in his progression and only
with a spirit and a body united together permanently can man receive a fulness
of joy; so we are living today part of eternity. We accepted that plan in the
spirit world before we came here, and we rejoiced at the opportunity of coming
here.
Second, we can here to gain experience–experience
with a physical, mortal world.
The third purpose of life is to give us
an opportunity to prove ourselves (Abraham 3:25). To prove that even in the
presence of evil and sin we can live a good life. To prove that in spite of
temptation that we have the strength and the character to adhere to the
principles of the gospel.
And fourth, this life is intended
to provide an opportunity to help our Father in Heaven with His great plan, and
we do that through honorable parenthood. We cooperate with our Heavenly Father
in helping to prepare tabernacles to house spirits of His children. So the
matter of marriage, the home, and the family is a vital part of the plan of our
Heavenly Father, and by keeping this fourfold purpose of life in mind
constantly and carrying out these purposes to have a fulness of joy in mortal
life, and we prepare ourselves for exaltation in the celestial kingdom where we
will receive a fulness of joy. So the whole purpose of the Church is to help
and assist us in carrying out these purposes in life. (The Teachings of Ezra
Taft Benson, pp. 27-28)
Receive a Body
Joseph Smith
We came to this earth that we might have a body and present
it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness
consists in having a body. The devil has no body, and herein is his punishment.
He is pleased when he can obtain the tabernacle of man, and when cast out by
the Savior he asked to go into the herd of swine, showing that he would prefer
a swine’s body to having none. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,
p.181)
Brigham Young
It is the wish of our Heavenly Father to bring all his
children back into his presence. The spirits of all the human family dwelt with
him before they took tabernacles of flesh and became subject to the fall and to
sin. He is their spiritual Father, and has sent them here to be clothed with
flesh, and to be subject, with their tabernacles, to the ills that afflict
fallen humanity. When they have proved themselves faithful in all things,
and worthy before Him, they can then have the privilege of returning again to
his presence, with their bodies, to dwell in the abodes of the blessed. If
man could have been made perfect, in his double capacity of body and spirit,
without passing through the ordeals of mortality, there would have been no
necessity of our coming into this state of trial and suffering. Could
the Lord have glorified his children in spirit, without a body like his own, he
no doubt would have done so. (Journal of Discourses, 11:42-43)
Orson F. Whitney
Man needed experience in the midst of mortal conditions, in
order to acquire the education that would fit him for spheres beyond. First,
however, he needed a body, for purposes of increase and progression, both in
time and in eternity. The spirit without the body is incomplete; it cannot
propagate, it cannot go on to glory. . . It is a reasonable inference that
spirits advance as far as they can before they are given earthly bodies. Having
received these bodies, they are in a position, by means of the Gospel and the
powers of the Priesthood, to make further progress toward perfection. (Cowley
and Whitney on Doctrine, p. 283)
Joseph Fielding Smith
The importance of these mortal tabernacles is apparent from
the knowledge we have of eternal life. Spirits cannot be made perfect
without a body of flesh and bones. This body and its spirit are brought to
immortality and blessings of salvation through the resurrection. After the
resurrection there can be no separation again; body and spirit become
inseparably connected that man may receive a fullness of joy. In no other way,
other than through birth into this life and the resurrection, can spirits
become like our Eternal Father. (Conference Report, Oct. 1965, p. 28)
Spencer W. Kimball
One definite purpose of our spirits coming to this earth and
assuming the mortal state was to obtain a physical body. This body was to be
subject to all the weaknesses, temptations, frailties and limitations of
mortality, and was to face the challenge to overcome self. (The Miracle
of Forgiveness, p.5).
To Gain Experience
Through the Knowledge of Good and Evil
James E. Talmage
A knowledge of good and evil is essential to the
advancement that God has made possible for His children to achieve; and this
knowledge can be best gained by actual experience, with the contrasts of
good and its opposite plainly discernible. Therefore has man been placed upon
earth subject to the influence of good and wicked powers, with a knowledge of
the conditions surrounding him, and the heaven-born right to choose for
himself. (Articles of Faith, p.53-54)
A knowledge of good and evil is essential to progress,
and the school of experience in mortality has been provided for the acquirement
of such knowledge. (Articles of Faith, p. 54).
Howard W. Hunter
There is purpose in man’s sojourn in mortality. He is placed
here for a definite reason, in accordance with God’s great plan. We read in
Genesis the story of the creation: “And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is
become as one of us, to know good and evil. . . .” (Gen. 3:22 [Genesis 3:22].)
To learn the difference between good and evil is one of
the great purposes for man to have mortal life, yet he is given his freedom
of choice with the promise of eternal blessings if he obeys the laws of God.
(Conference Report, Oct. 1969, p.112)
George Q. Cannon
They [Adam and Eve] had a knowledge of good and evil just as
the Gods have. They became as Gods; for that is one of the features, one of the
peculiar attributes of those who attain unto that glory–they understand the
difference between good and evil. In our pre-existent state, in our spiritual
existence, I do not know how extensive our knowledge of good and evil was. That
is not fully revealed. But this I do know, that when we come to earth and
become clothed with mortality we do arrive at a knowledge of good and evil, and
that knowledge prepares us for that future existence which we will have in the
eternal worlds; it will enable us to enter upon a career that is never ending,
that will continue onward and upward throughout all the ages of eternity. It
is for this purpose that we are here. God has given unto us this
probation for the express purpose of obtaining a knowledge of good and evil–of
understanding evil and being able to overcome the evil–and by overcoming it
receive the exaltation and glory that He has in store for us. (Journal
of Discourses, 26:190-191)
Joseph F. Smith, Anthon
H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose, First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints
God, doubtless, could avert war, prevent crime, destroy
poverty, chase away darkness, overcome error, and make all things bright,
beautiful and joyful. But this would involve the destruction of a vital and
fundamental attribute in man – the right of agency. It is for the benefit of
His sons and daughters that they become acquainted with evil as well as good,
with darkness as well as light, with error as well as truth, and with the
results of the infraction of eternal laws. Therefore he has permitted
the evils which have been brought about by the acts of His creatures, but will
control their ultimate results for His own glory and the progress and
exaltation of His sons and daughters, when they have learned obedience by the
things they suffer. The contrasts experienced in this world of mingled
sorrow and joy are educational in their nature, and will be the means of
raising humanity to a full appreciation of all that is right and true and good.
The foreknowledge of God does not imply His action in bringing about that which
He foresees, nor make Him responsible in any degree for that which man does or
refuses to do. The comprehension of this principle makes clear many questions
that puzzle the uninformed as to the works and power of Deity. (Messages of
the First Presidency, 4:325-326)
Brigham Young
The reason of our being made subject to sin and misery,
pain, woe, and death, is, that we may become acquainted with the opposites of
happiness and pleasure. The absence of light brings darkness, and darkness an
appreciation of light; pain an appreciation of ease and comfort; and ignorance,
falsehood, folly, and sin, in comparison with wisdom, knowledge, righteousness,
and truth, make the latter the more desirable to mankind. Facts are made
apparent to the human mind by their opposites. We find ourselves
surrounded in this mortality by an almost endless combination of opposites,
through which we must pass to gain experience and information to fit us for an
eternal progression. (Journal of Discourses, 11:42-43)
If the Scriptures are true, it proves that sin is in the
world, and the question arises, Is it necessary that sin should be here? What
will the Latter-day Saints say? Is it necessary that we should know good from
evil? I can answer this to suit myself by saying it is absolutely necessary,
for the simple reason that if we had never realized darkness we never could
have comprehended the light; if we never tasted anything bitter, but were
to eat sweets, the honey and the honeycomb, from the time we come into this
world until the time we go out of it, what knowledge could we have of the
bitter? This leads me to the decision that every fact that exists in this
world is demonstrated by its opposite. If this is the fact–and all true
philosophy proves it–it leads me to the conclusion that the transgression of
our first parents was absolutely necessary, that we might be brought in contact
with sin and have the opportunity of knowing good and evil. (Journal of
Discourses 14:70-71)
Orson Pratt
We will bring up an example. For instance, suppose you had
never tasted anything that was sweet–never had the sensation of sweetness–could
you have any correct idea of the term sweetness? No. On the other hand, how
could you understand bitter if you never had tasted bitterness? Could you
define the term to them who had experienced this sensation, or knew it? No. I
will bring another example. Take a man who had been perfectly blind from his
infancy, and never saw the least gleam of light–could you describe colors to
him? No. Would he know anything about red, blue, violet, or yellow? No; you
could not describe it to him by any way you might undertake. But by some
process let his eyes be opened, and let him gaze upon the sun beams that
reflect upon a watery cloud, producing the rainbow, where he would see a
variety of colors, he could then appreciate them for himself; but tell him
about colors when he is blind, he would not know them from a piece of
earthenware. So with Adam previous to partaking of this fruit; good could not
be described to him, because he never had experienced the opposite. As to
undertaking to explain to him what evil was, you might as well have undertaken
to explain, to a being that never had, for one moment, had his eyes closed to
the light, what darkness is. The tree of knowledge of good and evil was
placed there that man might gain certain information he never could have gained
otherwise; by partaking of the forbidden fruit he experienced misery, then
he knew that he was once happy, previously he could not comprehend what
happiness meant, what good was; but now he knows it by contrast, now he is
filled with sorrow and wretchedness, now he sees the difference between his
former and present condition, and if by any means he could be restored to his
first position, he would be prepared to realize it, like the man that never had
seen the light. Let the man to whom all the beauties of light have been
displayed, and who has never been in darkness, be in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, deprived of his natural sight; what a change this would be to him;
he never knew anything about darkness before, he never understood the principle
at all; it never entered the catalogue of his ideas, until darkness came upon
him, and his eye-sight was destroyed: now he can comprehend that the medium he
once existed in was light. Now, says he, if I could only regain my sight, I
could appreciate it, for I understand the contrast; restore me back again to my
sight, and let me enjoy the light I once had; let me gaze upon the works of
creation, let me look on the beauties thereof again, and I will be satisfied,
and my joy will be full. It was so with Adam; let the way be prepared for his
redemption, and the redemption of his posterity, and all creation that groans
in pain to be delivered–let them be restored back again to what they lost
through the fall, and they will be prepared to appreciate it. (Journal of
Discourses, 1:285-286)
To Prove Ourselves
George Q. Cannon
We have got to be watchful, for I tell you God has sent
us here to test us and to prove us. We were true in keeping our first
estate. The people that are here today stood loyally by God and by Jesus, and
they did not flinch. If you had flinched then, you would not be here with the
Priesthood upon you. The evidence that you were loyal, that you were true and
that you did not waver is to be found in the fact that you have received the
Gospel and the everlasting Priesthood.
Now you are in your second estate, and you are going to
be tested again. Will you be true and loyal to God with the curtain drawn
between you and Him, shut out from His presence, and in the midst of darkness
and temptation, with Satan and his invisible hosts all around you, bringing all
manner of evil influences to bear upon you? The men and the women that will
be loyal under these circumstances God will exalt, because it will be the
highest test to which they can be subjected. (Gospel Truth, 1:7)
Brigham Young
This is a world in which we are to prove ourselves.
The lifetime of man is a day of trial, wherein we may prove to God, in our
darkness, in our weakness, and where the enemy reigns, that we are our Father’s
friends, and that we receive light from him and are worthy to be leaders of
our children – to become lords of lords, and kings of kings – to have perfect
dominion over that portion of our families that will be crowned in the
celestial kingdom with glory, immortality, and eternal lives.(Discourses of
Brigham Young, p.87)
Spencer W. Kimball
Now, this mortal life is the time to prepare to meet God,
which is our first responsibility. Having already obtained our bodies,
which become the permanent tabernacle for our spirits through the eternities,
now we are to train our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. Preeminent, then,
is our using this life to perfect ourselves, to subjugate the flesh, subject
the body to the spirit, to overcome all weaknesses, to govern self so that one
may give leadership to others, and to perform all necessary ordinances.
Secondly comes the preparation for the subduing of the earth and the elements.
In Genesis, we read: “And God said, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish
the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion.” (Genesis 1:28.) (The Teachings
of Spencer W. Kimball, p.31)
Ezra Taft Benson
The great test of life is obedience to God. “We
will prove them herewith,” said the Lord, “to see if they will do all things
whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:25). The great
task of life is to learn the will of the Lord and then do it. (Conference
Report, Apr. 1988, p. 3; or Ensign, May 1988, p. 4)
Bruce R. McConkie
As we understand the plan of salvation, we came into this
sphere of existence for two purposes. First: We came to gain this natural body,
this tangible body, this body which here in this life is a temporary house for
the eternal spirit, but which body we will receive back again in immortality
through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. Second: We came here to see if we
would have the spiritual integrity, the devotion to righteousness, to overcome
the world, to put off the natural man, to bridle our passions, to curb and
control the appetites that are natural in this type of existence.
(Conference Report, April, 1955, p. 115)
Richard G. Scott
Mortal life is a proving ground. God said, “We
will make an earth whereon these may dwell; “And we will prove them herewith,
to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command
them.” (see Abr. 3:24-26 [Abraham 3:24-26].)
Our proving grounds vary. Some of us are born with
physical limitations; others are lonely or do not enjoy good health. Some are
challenged by economic conditions, the lack of good parental example, or a
myriad of other things that test our mettle. While much of the pain and sorrow
we endure is the result of our own stubborn acts of disobedience, many of the
things that appear to be obstacles in our path are used by a loving Creator for
our own personal growth.
Life never was intended to be easy. Rather, it is a
period of proving and growth. It is interwoven with difficulties, challenges,
and burdens. We are immersed in a sea of persistent, worldly pressures that
could destroy our happiness. Yet these very forces, if squarely faced, provide
opportunity for tremendous personal growth and development. The conquering of
adversity produces strength of character, forges self-confidence, engenders
self-respect, and assures success in righteous endeavor.
One who exercises free agency by faith grows from
challenges, is purified by sorrow, and lives at peace. In contrast, one who
frantically seeks to satisfy appetite and worldly desire is driven in a
downward spiral to tragic depths. Temptation is the motivating influence in his
exercise of free agency. (Conference Report, Oct. 1981, p. 13; or Ensign, Nov.
1981, p. 11)
To Have and Raise
Children
First Presidency Message (Heber J. Grant, J.
Reuben Clark, Jr., David O. McKay)
In the October, 1942 General Conference, J. Reuben Clark, Jr. read a message
from the First Presidency to the general Church membership. Under the title of
PARENTHOOD, the following was said:
Amongst His earliest commands to Adam and Eve, the Lord
said: “Multiply and replenish the earth.” He has repeated that command in our
day. He has again revealed in this, the last dispensation, the principle of the
eternity of the marriage covenant. He has restored to earth the authority for
entering into that covenant, and has declared that it is the only due and
proper way of joining husband and wife, and the only means by which the sacred
family relationship may be carried beyond the grave and through eternity.
He has declared that this eternal relationship may be created only by the
ordinances which are administered in the holy temples of the Lord, and
therefore that His people should marry only in His temple in accordance with
such ordinances.
The Lord has told us that it is the duty of every husband
and wife to obey the command given to Adam to multiply and replenish the earth,
so that the legions of choice spirits waiting for their tabernacles of flesh
may come here and move forward under God’s great design to become perfect
souls, for without these fleshly tabernacles they cannot progress to their
God-planned destiny. Thus, every husband and wife should become a father and
mother in
By bringing these choice spirits to earth, each father
and each mother assume towards the tabernacled spirit and towards the Lord
Himself by having taken advantage of the opportunity He offered, an obligation
of the most sacred kind, because the fate of that spirit in the
eternities to come, the blessings or punishments which shall await it in the
hereafter, depend, in great part, upon the care, the teachings, the training
which the parents shall give to that spirit.
No parent can escape that obligation and that
responsibility, and for the proper meeting thereof, the Lord will hold us to
a strict accountability. No loftier duty than this can be assumed by
mortals.
Motherhood thus becomes a holy calling, a sacred
dedication for carrying out the Lord’s plans, a consecration of devotion to
the uprearing and fostering, the nurturing in body, mind, and spirit, of those
who kept their first estate and who come to this earth for their second estate “to
see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command
them.” (Abraham 3:25 ) To lead them to keep their second estate is the work of
motherhood and “they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon
their heads for ever and ever.” (op. cit.)
This divine service of motherhood can be rendered only by
mothers. It may not be passed to others. Nurses cannot do it; public
nurseries cannot do it; hired help cannot do it–only mother, aided as much as
may be by the loving hands of father, brothers, and sisters, can give the full
needed measure of watchful care.
The mother who entrusts her child to the care of others,
that she may do non-motherly work, whether for gold, for fame, or for civic
service, should remember that “a child left to himself bringeth his mother to
shame.” (Prop. 29: 15) In our day the Lord has said that unless parents teach
their children the doctrines of the Church “the sin be upon the heads of the
parents.” (D. & C 68:25)
Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest,
holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy
calling and service next to the angels. To you mothers in Israel we say God
bless and protect you, and give you the strength and courage, the faith and
knowledge, the holy love and consecration to duty, that shall enable you to
fill to the fullest measure the sacred calling which is yours. To you mothers
and mothers-to-be we say: Be chaste, keep pure, live righteously, that your
posterity to the last generation may call you blessed. (Conference Report,
October 1942, p.12-13)
The Family: A
Proclamation to the World [The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles]
We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve
Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, solemnly proclaim
that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the
family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of his children.
. .
The First Commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve
pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare
that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth
remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred
powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully
wedded as husband and wife.
We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be
divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s
eternal plan.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and
care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the
Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in
love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to
teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God
and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives –
mothers and fathers – will be held accountable before God for the discharge
of these obligations.
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and
woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth
within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who
honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most
likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained
on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love,
compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers
are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are
responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their
families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their
children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated
to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other
circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should
lend support when needed.
N. Eldon Tanner
The whole purpose of the creation of the earth was to
provide a dwelling place where the spirit children of God might come and be
clothed in mortal bodies and, by keeping their second estate, prepare
themselves for salvation and exaltation. The whole purpose of the mission of
Jesus Christ was to make possible the immortality and eternal life of man.
The whole purpose of mothers and fathers should be to live worthy of
this blessing and to assist God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ in their
work. No greater honor could be given to [men and] women than to assist
this divine plan, and I wish to say without equivocation that a woman will
find greater satisfaction and joy and make a greater contribution to mankind by
being a wise and worthy mother raising good children than she could make in any
other vocation. (Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, pp. 219-220).
Harold B. Lee
Those who refuse as husbands and wives to have
children are proving themselves already too small for the infinitude of God’s
creative powers. (Ye Are the Light of the World, p. 267)
Dallin H. Oaks
When married couples postpone childbearing until after they
have satisfied their material goals, the mere passage of time assures that they
seriously reduce their potential to participate in furthering our Heavenly
Father’s plan for all of his spirit children. Faithful Latter-day Saints cannot
afford to look upon children as an interference with what the world calls
‘self-fulfillment.’ Our covenants with God and the ultimate purpose of life are
tied up in those little ones who reach for our time, our love, and our
sacrifices. (Conference Report, Oct. 1993, pp. 100–101, or “The Great Plan of
Happiness,” in Ensign [Nov. 1993], p. 75; emphasis added.)
Ezra Taft Benson
Do not postpone the blessings of honorable parenthood
following marriage. When God said it was our responsibility to multiply and
replenish the earth, that marriage was primarily for that purpose, He
didn’t insert any provisions. (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.540)
Howard W. Hunter
[Quotes Genesis 1:27-28] Thus God place his own race upon
the earth and instituted marriage, not only to multiply, as was commanded of
the other animal world, but for the more noble and lofty purposes by which man
can obtain eternal life. Marriage, as so instituted by God, is the commencement
of the family, the most serious business of lifetime . . . .
To be a successful father or a successful mother is far
greater than to rise to leadership or high places in business, government, or
worldly affairs. Home may seem commonplace at times with its routine duties,
yet its success should be the greatest of all our pursuits in life. (The
Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, p. 156)
Purpose of God is to
bring us into equality with Him, Heir (Christ), Joint-heir (Us).
(Moses 1:39.)
39 For behold, this is my
work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
(Doctrine and Covenants 76:95.)
95 And he makes them equal
in power, and in might, and in dominion.
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:107.)
107 And then shall the angels be crowned with the
glory of his might, and the saints shall be filled with his glory, and receive
their inheritance and be made equal with him.
Mortality is something we choose and bring about, so God is
not held accountable, thus the fall of Man through Adam.
The Fall of Man
The Fall is the mechanism by which the purposes of mortality
are brought about in such a way that man’s agency is left intact with God not
being held responsible for the consequences.
We sustained in premortality Adam to do the act in our
behalf, remember, we don’t have a full account of what took place in the Garden
of Eden, or what Adam and Eve knew. They were not stupid, but they were not
wise either. They lacked knowledge
because they lacked experience. How much of the story is figurative and how
much is literal.
How literally do we take the story of
the Garden of Eden? This we know: Adam was real. He was as real as Christ. For
if Adam was not real the Fall was not real; and if the Fall was not real the
Atonement was not real; and if the Atonement was not real Jesus the Christ is
not and was not necessary. Of some parts of the
What then became of
As to what became of
What of the trees of
If we were to reason that it was the
fruit itself that brought about this change in the bodies of Adam and Eve, we
would then have to suppose that our first parents fed some of the fruit to all
the other living things upon the whole earth. Had they not done so, “all things
which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were
after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end”
(2 Ne. 2:22; see also Moses 3:9). Every plant and animal, including all sea
life and the fowls of the air, would have been required to eat some of this
fruit (and must also have been precluded from partaking of it either by design
or accident before this point of time).
What of the serpent that beguiled Eve
into partaking of the forbidden fruit? Did animals in
Whether a serpent was actually the
agent of deception in the
What, then, do we conclude of the
Should it ever be our privilege to
call upon father Adam and ask him to share with us his treasured memories of
A rehearsal of the key events of
After Adam and Eve had partaken of
the forbidden fruit, but before they were expelled from the garden, the Father
taught them the law of sacrifice. Animals were slain that Adam and Eve might be
clothed in “coats of skins” (Moses 4:27) that were to be a protection to them
in our fallen world. Adam and Eve subsequently learned that the shedding of the
animals’ blood was in similitude of the atoning blood of Christ (Moses 5:7).
Thus the garments given them in
Adam and Eve were further instructed
by an angel of the Lord that they were to take upon them the name of Christ and
that all they did was to be done in his name (Moses 5:8). Thus as God had
clothed them in coats or garments of skin as a token of the protection provided
them through Christ, a protection from the effects of a fallen world, so they
were to clothe themselves in his name by faith, and in that name they were to
do all that they did that pertained to salvation or to things of the Spirit.
Thus they were assured that they could overcome.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear,”
John wrote unto the seven churches in Asia, “what the Spirit saith unto the
churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life”
(Revelation 2:7). The fruit is the gospel of Jesus Christ and is described by
Lehi as being “desirable to make one happy” and as filling the soul with “exceedingly
great joy” (1 Ne. 8:10-12). To Nephi it was revealed that the tree of life-that
tree which stood in the midst of Eden-represented the love of God, and by
extension, the eternal life made possible by the atonement of the Son of God
(see 1 Ne. 11:4-21).
(Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, eds., The
Man Adam [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1990], 27.)
We can equate good and evil with food, eating is universal, bitter and sweet is also universal.
Snakes were very symbolic among the children of
The Fall is literal for everyone, here we are in a telestial
world, but God has shown us the way back.
Satan doesn’t come out in the open, he uses something
already created against us, technology etc.
The serpent was already here, Satan used it to beguile
Eve. Adam was not deceived, he knowingly
partook of the fruit that man might be.
Eve’s choice affected her
Adam’s choice affected all of creation on this earth,
(man/animals/nature).
Scriptural account of
the Fall:
Moses 4-5, 2 Nephi 2:22-24
(2 Nephi 2:22-24.)
22 And now, behold, if
Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained
in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in
the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have
remained forever, and had no end.
23 And they would have had
no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having
no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
24 But behold, all things
have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
Tree of Life – Eternal Life (Celestial kingdom, someday we
will eat this fruit)
Tree of Good and Evil – Death (Physical and spiritual death
enters mortality)
God
Adam – Priesthood leader, got his commands from God
Eve – Mother of all living, got her commands from Adam,
don’t eat from this tree
Serpent
Satan – Used the serpent to get to Eve (alone without Adam
present, we are weaker alone)
2 commands – Multiply and replenish the earth and don’t eat
from the tree of good and evil.
(Moses 4:10-11.)
10 And the serpent said
unto the woman: Ye shall not surely die;
11 For God doth know that
in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as
gods, knowing good and evil.
Lie – Thou shalt not die
Truth – Eat the fruit and be like God knowing good and evil
Motive – She eats the fruit to become like God and she
thought there would be no consequences.
An analogy would be taking a child over to a hot stove. The child needed to be taught a lesson about
hot stoves, the parents warned the child they would be hurt by the stove. If the parents took the child to the stove
and purposely placed their hand on the stove they would be jailed for child
abuse!
Adam independently made the choice to eat the fruit and
bring about mortality.
The Garden of Eden was placed east. Adam and Eve were driven further east out of
the Garden.
Pulpits in the
Elder Erastus Snow later declared
that the
(Milton V. Backman, Jr., ed., Regional Studies in
Latter-day Saint History: Ohio [Provo: BYU Department of Church History and
Doctrine, 1990], 112.)
Celestial Terrestrial Telestial
The Order of Priesthood Ordinances
Mosaic Ordinances Prefigured Christ's Ministry
This was not an epistle to Gentiles,
but to Hebrews, those schooled in the law of Moses. It was one thing to know
the law and entirely another to know the reason for the law. Similarly, in our
day it is one thing to know what the Bible says and entirely another to know
what the Bible means.
Let us briefly identify the symbolism
associated with those parts of
Tabernacle:
The tabernacle was a portable temple of the Lord, the place of the divine
presence, and thus represents the kingdoms of heaven. The outer court
represents the telestial order, the holy place the terrestrial order, and the
Holy of Holies, the celestial world, the place where the throne of God is
found.
Candlestick: The seven-branched candelabrum of the tabernacle was part of the
furniture of the holy place. It was not lighted by candles, but by pure olive
oil in cup-shaped containers resting on the head of each of its branches. (Ex.
25:31-40.) Its light represents the light of the Holy Spirit. The seven
branches or stems represent the fullness and perfection of the revelations of
God and could be taken as affirmation that they would burn brightly in seven
great gospel dispensations.
Table:
Paul's reference is to the table of shewbread that stood on the north or right
side as one entered the holy place. It faced the candlestick and upon it were
to be placed twelve loaves of bread made of fine (unleavened) flour. Paul does
not identify its symbolism. Its equivalent in our day could be the sacrament
table.
Shewbread:
Literally translated, the name shewbread means "the bread of
faces," or "the bread of the presence," signifying that this
bread was placed before the face of the Lord or in his presence. That there is
a common symbolism between the Sabbath ritual in which the priests were to eat
the shewbread and the ordinance of the sacrament, as introduced by Christ,
seems apparent.
Sanctuary:
The sanctuary, in this text, refers to the holy place.
Veil:
Paul's reference is to the thick curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the
holy place in the temple. The rending of the veil symbolizes the removal of the
barrier between man and God, for man is thus enabled "to enter into the
holiest by the blood of Jesus." (Heb. 10:19.) Thus, the faithful and
obedient can, in the fullest and most complete sense, enter into the rest of
the Lord.
Holiest of All: By holiest of all, Paul is referring to the Holy of Holies. This, the
most sacred place in the temple, is the symbolic representation of the heavenly
temple where the throne of God sits.
Golden Censer: The vessel used for the burning of incense in the holy place was known
as the golden censer. (Paul seems to indicate that this was housed in the Holy
of Holies. There is nothing in the Old Testament that corroborates this.) The
smoke rising from the vessel is a symbol of the prayers of
Ark of the Covenant: Housed within the Holy of Holies, the ark of the covenant
signifies the divine presence and as such is the most sacred symbol in ancient
Manna:
Among the sacred relics found within the temple was a golden pot containing
some of the manna sent down from heaven as food for
Aaron's Rod: To affirm his call to Aaron and his tribe to labor in the priesthood in
preference to the other tribes, the Lord instructed Moses to have each of the
tribes bring a rod or branch with the name of their prince on it. These twelve
rods were then placed before the Lord in the Holy of Holies. The following
morning when Moses went to the sacred place, he found the rod of Aaron covered
with buds, blossoms, and even mature almonds. The other rods remained as barren
as before. (Num. 17.) As I have written elsewhere, "The symbolism
associated with this test was most deliberate: A rod, or branch, had been
chosen to represent each of the twelve tribes or families of
Tables of the Covenant: The tables of the covenant refers to
the tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were written.
Cherubim:
The images of two cherubim were placed over the mercy seat of the ark in the
Holy of Holies. Cherubim are angels, set to guard the way before the presence
of the Lord. They are to see that no unclean thing enters the divine presence.
Mercy Seat:
The mercy seat is the golden lid to the ark of the covenant: This lid, which
covers the ark, is a symbolic representation of the manner in which the
Atonement overarches or covers all that is sacred. The name comes from the
Hebrew kapporeth, which, in turn, comes from the root kaphar,
meaning to cover or expiate. It implies the making of an atonement, a cleansing
or forgiving.
Though Paul did not detail the
meaning of each of these items associated with the temple, his purpose was to
emphasize that each was intended as a witness of Jesus as the Christ.
(Robert L.
Millet, ed., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 6: Acts to Revelation [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1987], 206.)
For the Egyptians and the Babylonians,
as for us, the temple represents the principle of ordering the universe. It is
the hierocentric point around which all things are organized. It is the omphalos
(“navel”) around which the earth was organized (cf. fig. 39, p. 160). The
temple is a scale model of the universe, boxed to the compass, a very important
feature of every town in our contemporary civilization, as in the ancient
world. Fn (Years ago, Sir James George Frazer noticed a definite pattern among
ancient religious cult practices: they all followed the same patterns
throughout the whole world. Fn He explained that as representing certain stages
of evolution in which the mind naturally expressed itself in those forms. But
since then the gaps between these various cultures have been filled in, to show
that civilization was far more connected.) Civilization is hierocentric,
centered around the holy point of the temple. The temple was certainly the
center of things in Babylonia, in
(Hugh Nibley, Temple and Cosmos: Beyond
This Ignorant Present, edited by Don E. Norton [Salt Lake City and Provo:
Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1992], 14
– 19.)
The church
was established in the east and moved westward; temples were built as it
progressed west.
The
Garden of Eden: Prototype Sanctuary
Donald W. Parry
The Garden of Eden ractice (Genesis
2-3) contains a number of powerful symbols that are related to and represent
archetypal depictions of subsequent Israelite temple systems. In a cogent
manner, the Garden of Eden, as it is referred to throughout the Bible,
Pseudepigrapha, and rabbinic writings, served as the prototype, pattern, and/or
originator of subsequent Israelite temples, “a type of archetypal sanctuary.” Fn
The garden was not a sanctuary built of cedar or marble, for it is not
necessary for a temple to possess an edifice or structure; but rather it was an
area of sacred space made holy because God’s presence was found there. Mircea
Eliade has stated that the Garden of Eden was the heavenly prototype of the
temple, fn and the Book of Jubilees 3:19 adds that “the garden of Eden
is the Holy of Holies, and the dwelling of the Lord.” This essay will examine
these claims.
Eleven prototypical aspects of the
Garden of Eden will be examined. They are
(1) The tree of life was located both
in the garden and in the temple.
(2) Both the garden and the temple
were associated with sacred waters.
(3) Eastward orientations played a
role in the garden story and in subsequent Israelite temples.
(4) The cosmic mountain was
symbolically affiliated with the garden and temple.
(5) The account of the earth’s
creation is closely connected with the Garden of Eden ractice and the temple.
(6) Cherubim, or heavenly beings,
function as guardians of the garden and the temple.
(7) Revelation was an essential part
of the garden and the temple.
(8) Sacrifice existed in the garden
and in subsequent temple systems.
(9) Similar religious language
existed in both the garden and the temple.
(10) Sacred vestments were associated
with Adam and Eve in the garden and with the priesthood in the
(11) Abundance was associated with
the garden and the temple.
61
The Tree of Life
Much attention is given to the tree
of life by the author of Genesis 2-3. It is referred to on three occasions. The
first citation to the tree is recorded in Genesis 2:9, where it is stated that
God planted “the tree of life in the middle of the garden.” Fn In this account
the tree is a definite tree (preceded by the definite article, hence called “the
tree”), and it is located at the center of
The continuity of the tree of life
icon in Israelite temple society is evident when one considers the nature of
the tabernacle menorah or seven-branched lampstand. The menorah, as an
important religious symbol for the Israelite community, is given due
consideration in the Pentateuch. Its construction (Exodus 25:31-40; 37:17-24),
consecration (Exodus 30:27; 40:9), placement in the tabernacle (Exodus 25:37;
Numbers 8:2-3), and the manner of transporting it (Numbers 3:31; 4:9) are items
of discussion in the scriptures. The sacred object was also located in the
Solomonic temple (1 Kings 7:49), wherein a total of ten menorahs were used, all
made of pure gold, five standing on the north and five standing on the south
side of the holy place of the temple. The second temple possessed a lampstand,
although the sources regarding this situation are unclear and often
contradictory. Fn
That the menorah was a stylized tree
of life is made clear in the description produced in Exodus 25:31-40. fn The
menorah must have had the appearance of a tree, possessing seven branches (a
number of symbolic significance to the Israelite community) and a number of
flowers (almond blossoms?). It may be concluded that the actual, living tree of
life was present in the garden, and symbolic representations of the tree of
life, in the form of lampstands, were present in later Israelite temples.
(2) Sacred Waters
Several analogous scriptural
narratives employ imagistic descriptions of sacral waters originating and
flowing from the temple. The prophet Joel explicitly asserts that “a fountain
shall come forth from the house of the Lord” (Joel 3:18). After providing a
lengthy description of the future temple of Jerusalem (see Ezekiel 40-46),
Ezekiel presents a statement regarding a river that would flow from the
threshold of the temple, through the courtyard, and out of the city of Jerusalem,
finally reaching the Dead Sea. The prophecy states that the temple river will
heal the putrid waters of the
The book of Daniel describes a
different type of river, also issuing from a throne. After receiving an
eschatological vision, Daniel provides a description of the Ancient of Days
sitting upon his throne of “fiery flame.” Flowing from the throne was a “fiery
stream” (Daniel 7:9-11). Two pseudepigraphic passages recall Daniel’s statement.
The first, 3 Enoch 36:1-2, reads, “A river of fire . . . flows beneath
the throne of glory”; and the second, 1 Enoch 14:15, says, “Beneath the
throne were issuing streams of flaming fire.” Enoch, similar to John’s and
Daniel’s portrayal, describes the waters as coming from the throne, suggesting
that God is the source of the waters.
The rivers of
(3) Eastward Orientation
Spatial orientation played a vital
role in the architectural setting of ancient Near Eastern temples. Fn So too,
the Mosaic tabernacle and the temples of
(1) The fact that God planted the
garden in the east section of
(2) The second designation of “east”
in the garden ractice is mentioned in connection with the four rivers of
(3) Once more east takes a
prominent position in the garden story. After Adam and Eve were expelled from
thegarden, God placed cherubim and a flaming sword at “the east of the garden
of Eden” (Genesis 3:24;
(4) Cosmic Mountain
Every Near Eastern temple
symbolically recalls a mountain, fn but the first temple complex (i.e., the
Garden of Eden) possessed a mountain in actuality. The biblical Garden of Eden
account alludes to the presence of a mountain. Be it remembered that a river
originated in
Placing assumptions aside, however,
biblical evidence delineates a mountain in
Pseudepigraphic 1 Enoch
18:6-12, 24-25 provides a description of the mountains in
These concepts hearken back to the
ancient Near Eastern idea of the primordial mound fn or the primordial hillock.
According to the Babylonian tradition, for example, the Eninnu temple, which
was built by Gudea, is representative of the primordial hillock that arose out
of the chaotic waters (apsu). Fn Regarding the Egyptian view of the
primordial mound, Lundquist writes that “in
From the rudimentary concept of the
primordial hillock developed the idea of the cosmic mountain (i.e., the
temple), with its careful delimitation, well-defined borders, and clear-cut
spaces. The transition from a raw natural mountain to a synthetic physical
temple edifice seems to have been quite natural. In the first place, temple
buildings retained their distinct mountain character by being constructed of
natural indigenous materials, many times coming from the mountains themselves.
Persons who stood before the lofty components of the temple would naturally
look heavenward, similar to one who stands before a striking mountain. In this
regard the temple became “the architectural embodiment of the cosmic mountain.”
Fn More importantly, however, the temple building was constructed upon a
mountain or hillock of known importance. The temples of
(5) Creation
Significantly, the garden story
immediately follows the creation ractice in the book of Genesis. As has been
shown elsewhere in this volume, there is a direct connection between the creation
of the cosmos and ancient Near Eastern ritual. Several scholars, including
Weinfeld and
Carrying the point a step further,
Fisher reveals that the temple of Solomon was built in seven years (see 1 Kings
6:38), precisely as the world was created in seven days. Fisher concludes that “one
must speak of ordering the cosmos in terms of seven even as the construction of
the microcosm must be according to the same pattern.” Fn Hence, it may be
determined that the construction of the Mosaic tabernacle and Solomonic temple
recall the formation of the earth. Just as chaos became organized and orderly,
so the temple brings order and organization unto the world.
P. J. Kearney also draws a number of
comparisons between the creation account (Genesis 1-2) and the Tabernacle ractice
(Exodus 25-31). Fn Both God and Aaron brought forth light—God brought forth
light unto the world (see Genesis 1:2-3); Aaron produced light for the
Tabernacle precinct (see Exodus 30:1-8). In Genesis, God created the seas and placed
the topos within the waters; in the temple the bronze laver or molten
sea was constructed according to God’s instructions and became part of the
temple precinct (cf. Genesis 1:9-10 and 1 Kings 7:23).
One additional correspondence between
the creation of the cosmos and the construction of the temple may be added to
the list—Deity acted as overseer for both activities. At the completion of his
creative work of the cosmos, God declared the work to be “good” (Genesis 1:10,
12, 18, 21, 25), and then God blessed and sanctified the seventh day (see
Genesis 2:3).
(6) Cherubim
In the biblical writings the first
mention of cherubim (Hebrew plural form of cherub) is found in
the Edenic account. God “drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the
garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to
[guard] the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24). Symbolic likenesses of the cherubim
were later embroidered into the veil of the tabernacle (see Exodus 26:31) and
carved into the walls, doors, and panels of the
A primary mission of the cherubim,
together with the flaming sword, was to protect the tree of life so that man,
in his unworthy state, would not partake of the fruit of the tree (cf. also
Alma 42:2-3). Fn The locale of the representations of the cherubim in the
temples held significance. They were located on either side of the throne of
God (mercy seat), embroidered into the veil, and situated along the path that
led to God’s presence. The cherubim functioned as divine sentinels, guarding
the path leading to the presence of God, preventing the trespass by
unauthorized persons.
(7) Revelation
One of the many boons of the ancient
temple setting was that direct communication between God and man was possible.
The prophetic theological stance of the era was directional prayer, wherein
temple worshipers directed their prayers toward the
Examples of divine conversation (or
direct revelation) between God and man in the Garden of Eden abound in Genesis
2 and 3:
2:16 “and the Lord God commanded the
man, saying”
2:18 “and the Lord God said”
3:8 “and they heard the voice of the
Lord God”
3:9 “and the Lord God called unto
Adam”
3:11 “and he [God] said”
3:13 “and the Lord God said unto the
woman”
3:16 “unto the woman he [God] said”
3:17 “and unto Adam he [God] said”
3:22 “and the Lord God said”
Both Adam and Eve received numerous
personal communications from God in the garden setting. After the Fall,
however, the couple prayed at an altar, and revelation became much less
frequent, and it took place in different forms and at different places.
(8) Sacrifice
It is well known that animal
sacrifices formed a considerable portion of ancient Israelite temple ritual. Fn
Entire sections of the Bible are dedicated to the various types of sacrifices,
outlining the rules and commandments regarding the sacrifices. The numerous
laws of sacrifice as revealed to Moses were not known in the Garden of Eden.
However, the biblical text implies that sacrifice did exist before Adam and Eve
were cast out of the garden. After God cursed Adam and Eve, he made garments of
animal skins for the couple and then “clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). It is
significant that God used an animal skin to clothe Adam and Eve. To acquire the
skin, an animal had to be slain, and perhaps the animal was slaughtered as part
of a sacrificial ceremony.
Is it possible that God himself
performed the sacrifice? And do we know what type of animal was sacrificed? If
God did not perform the sacrifice on behalf of Adam and Eve, who did? And if a
lamb (or bullock) were not used for the coats of skin, then what type of skins
did Adam and Eve wear? Certainly, they would not have used the skin of a camel
or swine or other animal considered to be unclean to the later Israelites.
Inasmuch as lambs were slaughtered by the thousands as part of the law of
Moses, the skin of a lamb was the logical choice. Conceivably, God sacrificed a
lamb, typically pointing forward to the moment when the Lamb of God would be
slaughtered as an atoning sacrifice on behalf of all mankind. It is also
noteworthy that God himself “clothed” Adam and Eve with the garments. Such
personal attention by Deity to the matter of the coats of skins underscores the
liturgical import of the garments. Candlish, who believes that animal sacrifice
originated in the garden, has noted that since God “concerned himself with the
materials” of the garments, something “higher and holier” was intended, some
spiritual meaning and purpose for the skins. Fn
Apparently the animal sacrifice
conducted by God in the Garden of Eden represented only one type of sacrifice,
for extracanonical scriptures identify sacrificial concepts with the garden. A
passage from the Books of Adam and Eve implies that Adam and Eve
practiced a form of sacrifice before they were cast from the garden. After the
fall of Adam, the first man pled with the angels: “Behold, ye cast me out. I
pray you, allow me to take away fragrant herbs from paradise, so that I may
offer an offering to God after I have gone out of paradise that he hear me.” Fn
(9) Esoteric Language
Frequently the descriptive language
of the scriptures regarding the Israelite temples recalls the Garden of Eden
experience. Three specific phrases, found in connection with the Garden of
Eden, are also used by later biblical writers while describing the tabernacle
or temple. Each of the three phrases will be examined.
61
Adam was told to “dress it and keep
[the garden]”
God commanded Adam to “dress” (work)
and “keep” the garden (Genesis 2:15). Two Hebrew terms utilized in this
statement, cabad (work) and samar (keep), are also found in
descriptive statements having reference to the later Israelite temple system.
For instance, the Levites were instructed to “keep (sssamar) all the
vessels of the tabernacle” and “to work (cabad) the work” of the
tabernacle (Numbers 3:8; author’s translation; see also Numbers 8:26; 18:5-6).
Noting these parallels, Gordon Wenham has written that “if
Special attention should be paid to
the Hebrew term cabad. Its root meaning in Hebrew is connected with the
concepts of service and labor, both secular and religious. In a religious
sense, the term expressly points to constructing the tabernacle (see Exodus
35:24), repairing the temple (see 2 Chronicles 34:13), and working with fine
linen (see 1 Chronicles 4:21). Fn According to one Hebrew lexicon, cabad
means “to worship” or “to perform a cultic rite.” Fn During the late
2. God walked about
The method by which God moved about
in
3. In the presence of the LORD
Menachem Haran has argued that the
phrase “before the Lord” (lipnê Yahweh) indicates a temple setting. He
writes that “in general, any cultic activity to which the biblical text applies
the formula ‘before the Lord’ can be considered an indication of the existence
of a temple at the site, since this expression stems from the basic conception
of the temple as a divine dwelling-place and actually belongs to the temple’s
technical terminology.” Fn The phrase is recorded in Genesis 3:8, where it is
stated that “Adam and his wife hid themselves from [before] the LORD God [mippðnê
Yahweh].” Fn Again, identical language is employed at both the Garden of
Eden and the
(10) Sacred Vestments
The vesting of temple worshipers and
officiants with sacral vestments was customary in the Israelite temple system. Fn
Entire chapters, such as Exodus 28-29, describe the sacred vestments to be worn
by Aaron and his sons while ministering in the temple. The ordinary priestly
vestments consisted of four parts: breeches, a headpiece, a girdle, and a
tunic. The high priestly vestments consisted of eight pieces: in addition to
the four vestments belonging to the priest, the high priest wore an ephod,
robe, breastplate, and frontplate.
Adam and Eve, while in the garden,
possessed two items of clothing that apparently held ritual meaning: the apron
(see Genesis 3:7) and the garment of skins (see Genesis 3:21). The apron,
perhaps made from fig leaves of the same tree of which they had unlawfully
eaten, fn no doubt held some sort of ceremonial significance for the first
couple. The garments of skins were made by God himself (see Genesis 3:21), a
fact that adds to the significance and import of the sacral clothing. It is
quite likely that these vestments, belonging to Adam and Eve and obtained while
in the garden, served as archetypes for later sacral vestments belonging to the
Israelite temple system.
(11) Abundance and Prosperity
While creating a list of motifs
common among ancient Near Eastern temples, John Lundquist has determined that
one conventional motif found among temple systems is that “the temple is
associated with abundance and prosperity.” Fn So, too, with the situation at
Furthermore, God planted “every tree
that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food” (Genesis 2:9). Apparently all
or many of the trees of the garden bore fruit, for God told Adam that “of every
tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it” (Genesis 2:16-17). Also, God gave “every
herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in
the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every
thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every
green herb for meat” (Genesis 1:29-30). The garden was watered by a river (see
Genesis 2:10).
For later biblical prophets, the
Garden of Eden became a byword for prosperity and fruitfulness (see Isaiah
51:3; Ezekiel 36:35; Joel 2:3). Each of these elements—God’s hand in the
planting of the garden, his divine presence there, the fruit and herbs designed
as food for both man and beast, and the river of water that provided a source
of life for the plants—denote a place of abundance and prosperity.
Conclusion
First and foremost, the Garden of
Eden became sacred space because it was created by Deity, and his presence was
found there. It remained sacred (like temples) because God cast out those who
had profaned it (i.e., Adam and Eve). The Garden of Eden, as described in the
book of Genesis and elsewhere, contained a number of features present in
subsequent Israelite temples. These features include symbolic representations
of the primordial landscape: the tree of life, the sacred waters, and the
cosmic mountain. In addition, the Garden of Eden and those who occupied it,
similar in many respects to the Israelite temples, possessed an eastward
orientation, cherubim, and sacred vestments, and it was associated with
prosperity and abundance. The garden was associated with divine revelation,
sacrificial ordinances, and the creation of the earth. Finally, similar religious
language described both the Garden of Eden and subsequent temples.
(Donald W.
Parry, ed., Temples of the Ancient World: Ritual and Symbolism [Salt
Lake City and Provo: Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient Research and
Mormon Studies, 1994], 128 – 129.)
There are
important diagrams on pages 134-135 of this lecture concerning the Creation,
Fall, and Atonement.
(Moses 4:13-21.)
13 And the eyes of them
both were opened, and they knew that they had been naked. And they sewed
fig-leaves together and made themselves aprons.
14 And they heard the
voice of the Lord God, as they were walking in the garden, in the cool of the
day; and Adam and his wife went to hide themselves from the presence of the
Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
15 And I, the Lord God,
called unto Adam, and said unto him: Where goest thou?
16 And he said: I heard
thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I beheld that I was naked,
and I hid myself.
17 And I, the Lord God,
said unto Adam: Who told thee thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree
whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat, if so thou shouldst surely
die?
18 And the man said: The
woman thou gavest me, and commandest that she should remain with me, she gave
me of the fruit of the tree and I did eat.
19 And I, the Lord God,
said unto the woman: What is this thing which thou hast done? And the woman
said: The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
20 And I, the Lord God,
said unto the serpent: Because thou hast done this thou shalt be cursed above
all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go,
and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life;
21 And I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed; and he shall bruise
thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Adam and
Eve’s lose of innocence, they are now lost, (hell, spiritual death), enmity
(hatred) between man and the seed of the serpent (abominations).
God >>>>>>>>>>>Adam
>>>>>>>>>>>Eve
<<<<<<<<<<<<Serpent
<<<<<<<<<<<Satan
Priesthood
Prophets
Light of
Christ will create an enmity, since darkness
hates the light; eventually Christ Himself will come and destroy the serpent
(evil, abominations) from the earth.
That which
God has created (serpent) has been used against His kingdom by Satan.
Priesthood
Keys, Ordinances and Faith
(Doctrine and Covenants
107:53-57.)
53 Three years previous to
the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and
Methuselah, who were all high priests, with the residue of his posterity who
were righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon
them his last blessing.
54 And the Lord appeared
unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the
prince, the archangel.
55 And the Lord
administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him: I have set thee to be at the
head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over
them forever.
56 And Adam stood up in
the midst of the congregation; and, notwithstanding he was bowed down with age,
being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity
unto the latest generation.
57 These things were all
written in the book of Enoch, and are to be testified of in due time.
Adam ondi
Ahman – Prior to Adam’s death final temple ordinances were given. Calling and election was made sure, when we
lose our life to build up the kingdom we will save our own lives.
What I Hope You Will
Teach
Your Children about the
President Ezra Taft Benson
Ensign, Aug. 1985, pp. 6-10
The last time I saw
President Heber J. Grant was in the
I was just entering the
glass door opposite the Lion House in the
They replied, “Yes.”
He said, “Come here. Come
here, Brother Benson.”
I walked over to him, and
President Grant said, “Did I ever tell you about the mean trick Brigham Young
played on your great-grandfather?”
I said, “No, President. I
didn’t know Brigham Young ever played a mean trick on anyone.”
He responded, “Oh, yes, he
did. I’ll tell you about it.”
I could see that these two
brethren were practically holding President Grant up, so I said, “I’ll come to
the house some time. I’d like to hear it.”
He replied, “No, I’ll tell
you right here. These brethren can steady me while I tell you.”
He said, “You know where
I said, “Yes.”
He continued, “Your
great-grandfather built the finest home in
“Now,” President Grant said,
“Daniel H. Wells was Brigham Young’s counselor. Wasn’t that a mean trick? Come
on, brethren, let’s go.”
In all the years that I had
attended the Benson reunions I had never heard that story. So I had it verified
by the Church Historical Department, and they assured me that the facts were as
President Grant related them. They told me they had a tintype picture of the
old home.
Since that time, I have been
most grateful for the so-called “mean trick” of President Young, because were
it not for that, the Bensons would not have their roots in
I love
The temple is an ever-present
reminder that God intends the family to be eternal. How fitting it is for
mothers and fathers to point to the temple and say to their children, “That is
the place where we were [page 8] married for eternity.” By so doing, the ideal
of temple marriage can be instilled within the minds and hearts of your
children while they are very young.
I am grateful to the Lord
that my temple memories extend back–even to young boyhood. I remember so well,
as a little boy, coming in from the field and approaching the old farm house in
I can still see her in my
mind’s eye bending over the ironing board with newspapers on the floor, ironing
long strips of white cloth, with beads of perspiration on her forehead. When I
asked her what she was doing, she said, “These are temple robes, my son. Your
father and I are going to the temple at
Then she put the old
flatiron on the stove, drew a chair close to mine, and told me about temple
work–how important it is to be able to go to the temple and participate in the
sacred ordinances performed there. She also expressed her fervent hope that
some day her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren would have the
opportunity to enjoy these priceless blessings.
These sweet memories about
the spirit of temple work were a blessing in our farm home, our little rural
ward of three hundred, and the old Oneida Stake. These memories have returned
as I have performed the marriage of each of our children and grandchildren, my
mother’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren, under the influence of the
Spirit in the house of the Lord.
These are choice memories to
me, and I have often reflected on them. In the peace of these lovely temples,
sometimes we find solutions to the serious problems of life. Under the
influence of the Spirit, sometimes pure knowledge flows to us there.
I would like to direct my
remarks to you parents and grandparents. I would like to share with you what I
would hope you would teach your children about the temple.
The temple is a sacred
place, and the ordinances in the temple are of a sacred character. Because of
its sacredness we are sometimes reluctant to say anything about the temple to
our children and grandchildren.
As a consequence, many do
not develop a real desire to go to the temple, or when they go there, they do
so without much background to prepare them for the obligations and covenants
they enter into.
I believe a proper
understanding or background will immeasurably help prepare our youth for the
temple. This understanding, I believe, will foster within them a desire to seek
their priesthood blessings just as Abraham sought his.
When our Heavenly Father
placed Adam and Eve on this earth, He did so with the purpose in mind of
teaching them how to regain His presence. Our Father promised a Savior to
redeem them from their fallen condition. He gave to them the plan of salvation
and told them to teach their children faith in Jesus Christ and repentance.
Further, Adam and his posterity were commanded by God to be baptized, to
receive the Holy Ghost, and to enter into the order of the Son of God.
To enter into the order of
the Son of God is the equivalent today of entering into the fullness of the
Melchizedek Priesthood, which is only received in the house of the Lord.
Because Adam and Eve had
complied with these requirements, God said to them, “Thou art after the order
of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to
all eternity.” (Moses 6:67.)
Three years before Adam’s
death, a great event occurred. He took his son Seth, his grandson Enos, and
other high priests who were his direct-line descendants, with others of his
righteous posterity, into a valley called Adam-ondi-Ahman. There Adam gave to
these righteous descendants his last blessing.
The Lord then appeared to
them.
The vast congregation rose
up and blessed Adam and called him Michael, the prince and archangel. The Lord
himself declared Adam to be a prince forever over his own posterity.
Then Adam in his aged
condition rose up and, being filled with the spirit of prophecy, predicted “whatsoever
should befall his posterity unto the [page 9] latest generation.” All this is
recorded in section 107 of the Doctrine and Covenants (verses 53-56) [D&C
107:53-56].
The Prophet Joseph Smith
said that Adam blessed his posterity because “he wanted to bring them into the
presence of God.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph
Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938, p. 159.)
Here is an illuminating
passage from Section 107 of the Doctrine and Covenants which tells us how Adam
was able to bring himself and his righteous posterity into God’s presence:
“The order of this
priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and tightly
belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed, to whom the promises
were made.
“This order was instituted
in the days of Adam, and came down by lineage in [order] … that his posterity
should be the chosen of the Lord, and that they should be preserved unto the
end of the earth.” (D&C 107:40-42; italics added.)
How did Adam bring his
descendants into the presence of the Lord?
The answer: Adam and his
descendants entered into the priesthood order of God. Today we would say they
went to the House of the Lord and received their blessings.
The order of priesthood
spoken of in the scriptures is sometimes referred to as the patriarchal order
because it came down from father to son.
But this order is otherwise
described in modern revelation as an order of family government where a man and
woman enter into a covenant with God–just as did Adam and Eve–to be sealed for
eternity, to have posterity, and to do the will and work of God throughout
their mortality.
If a couple are true to
their covenants, they are entitled to the blessing of the highest degree of the
celestial kingdom. These covenants today can only be entered into by going to
the House of the Lord.
Adam followed this order and
brought his posterity into the presence of God. He is the great example for us
to follow.
Enoch followed this pattern
and brought the Saints of his day into the presence of God.
Noah and his son Shem
likewise followed the same pattern after the flood.
Abraham, a righteous servant
of God, desiring as he said, “to be a greater follower of righteousness,”
sought for these same blessings. Speaking of the order of the priesthood, he
said: “It was conferred upon me from the fathers; it came down from the
fathers, from the beginning of time … even the right of the firstborn, or the
first man, who is Adam, our first father, through the fathers unto me.” (Abr.
1:2-3.)
So Abraham declared: “I
sought for mine appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of
God unto the fathers.” (Abr. 1:4.)
Moses taught this order of
priesthood to his people and “sought diligently to sanctify his people that
they might behold the face of God;
“But they hardened their
hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for
his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his
rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.
“Therefore, he took Moses
out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also.” (D&C 84:23-25.)
We learn through the Joseph
Smith Translation that the Lord further instructed Moses: “I will take away the
priesthood out of their midst; therefore my holy order, and the ordinances
thereof.” (JST Ex. 34:1; italics added.)
This higher priesthood, with
its attendant ordinances, was taken from
My purpose in citing this
background is to illustrate that this order of priesthood has been on the earth
since the beginning, and it is the only means by which we can one day see the
face of God and live. (See D&C 84:22.)
Between Moses and Christ
only certain prophets possessed the right to the higher priesthood and the
blessings that could bring men into the presence of God. One of these prophets
was Elijah.
Elijah held the keys of the
sealing power and did many mighty miracles in his day. He had power to seal the
heavens, raise the dead, relieve the drought-stricken land, and call down fire
from heaven.
He was the last prophet to
hold the keys of the priesthood, according to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was
subsequently translated and taken up into heaven without tasting death.
He, as a translated being,
restored the keys of this priesthood to the Savior’s chief Apostles–Peter,
James, and John–on the Mount of Transfiguration. But within a generation, the
Church was destroyed by a major apostasy, and the blessings of the priesthood
were removed from the earth.
It took a new dispensation
from heaven to restore this blessing to our day.
It is significant that the
first revelation given in 1823, recorded as section 2 of the Doctrine and
Covenants, gave this promise about the priesthood:
“Behold, I will reveal unto
you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord.
“And he shall plant in the
hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the
children shall turn to their fathers.
“If it were not so, the
whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.” (D&C 2:1-3.)
What priesthood was Elijah
to reveal? John the Baptist restored the keys to the Aaronic Priesthood. Peter,
James, and John restored the keys of the
“Because he holds the keys
of the authority to administer in all the ordinances of the priesthood,” or the
sealing power. (Teachings, p. 172; italics added.) So said the Prophet
Joseph Smith!
The Prophet Joseph said
further that these keys [page 10] were “the revelations, ordinances, oracles,
powers and endowments of the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood and of the
Even though the Aaronic
Priesthood and Melchizedek Priesthood had been restored to the earth, the Lord
urged the Saints to build a temple to receive the keys by which this order of
priesthood could be administered on the earth again, “for there [was] not a
place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost
… even the fulness of the priesthood.” (D&C 124:28; italics added.)
Again the Prophet Joseph
said: “If a man gets a fullness of the priesthood of God he has to get it in
the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it, and that was by keeping all the
commandments and obeying all the ordinances of the house of the Lord.” (Teachings,
p. 308.)
So the
Then, on 3 April 1836, the
Lord Jesus Christ and three other heavenly beings appeared in this holy
edifice. One of these heavenly messengers was Elijah, to whom the Lord said he
had “committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to
the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole
earth may not be smitten with a curse.” (D&C 27:9.)
Elijah brought the keys of
sealing powers–that power which seals a man to a woman and seals their
posterity to them endlessly, that which seals their forefathers to them all the
way back to Adam. This is the power and order that Elijah revealed–that same
order of priesthood which God gave to Adam and to all the ancient patriarchs which
followed after him.
And this is why the Lord
said to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “For verily I say unto you, the keys of the
dispensation, which ye have received, have come down from the fathers, and last
of all, being sent down from heaven unto you.” (D&C 112:32.)
In a later revelation the
Lord explained:
“In the celestial glory
there are three heavens or degrees;
“And in order to obtain the
highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new
and everlasting covenant of marriage];
“And if he does not, he
cannot obtain it.
“He may enter into the
other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.”
(D&C 131:1-4; italics added.)
When our children obey the
Lord and go to the temple to receive their blessings and enter into the
marriage covenant, they enter into the same order of the priesthood that God
instituted in the very beginning with father Adam.
This order entitles them to
the same blessings of Abraham, of whom the Lord said that he “hath entered into
his exaltation and sitteth upon his throne.” (D&C 132:29.)
Then He significantly added:
“This promise is yours also, because ye are of Abraham.” (D&C 132:31.)
So again I emphasize: This
order of priesthood can only be entered into when we comply with all the
commandments of God and seek the blessings of the fathers as did Abraham by
going to our Father’s house. They are received in no other place on this earth!
I hope you would teach this
truth about the temple to your children and your grandchildren. Go to the
temple–our Father’s house–to receive the blessings of your fathers that you may
be entitled to the highest blessings of the priesthood. “For without this no
man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.” (D&C 84:22.)
Our Father’s house is a
house of order. We go to His house to enter into that order of priesthood which
will entitle us to all that the Father hath, if we are faithful. For as the
Lord has revealed in modern times, Abraham’s seed are “lawful heirs” to the
priesthood. (See D&C 86:8-11.)
Now let me say something
else to all who can worthily go to the House of the Lord. When you attend the
temple and perform the ordinances that pertain to the House of the Lord,
certain blessings will come to you:
•You will
receive the spirit of Elijah, which will turn your hearts to your spouse, to
your children, and to your forebears.
•You will love your family
with a deeper love than you have loved before.
•Your hearts will be turned
to your fathers and theirs to you.
•You will be endowed with
power from on high as the Lord has promised.
•You will receive the key of
the knowledge of God. (See D&C 84:19.) You will learn how you can be like
Him. Even the power of godliness will be manifest to you. (See D&C 84:20.)
•You will be doing a great
service to those who have passed to the other side of the veil in order that
they might be “judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God
in the spirit.” (D&C 138:34.)
Such are the
blessings of the temple and the blessings of frequently attending the temple.
So I say at this centennial
commemoration of the
I testify with all my soul
to the truth of this message and pray that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
will bless modern
Enoch
received the priesthood at age 25 while other received the priesthood at a much
older age, he was 65 at the meeting at Adam ondi Ahman.
Enoch’s
people were of one heart and one mind, they dwelt in righteousness and they
were translated. Abraham wants to
achieve what Enoch did.
(Abraham 1:1-2, 31)
1 In the land of the
Chaldeans, at the residence of my fathers, I, Abraham, saw that it was needful
for me to obtain another place of residence;
2 And, finding there was
greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the
fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same;
having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who
possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and
to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of
peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of
God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to
the fathers.
31 But the records of the fathers, even the patriarchs, concerning the
right of Priesthood, the Lord my God preserved in mine own hands; therefore
a knowledge of the beginning of the creation, and also of the planets, and of
the stars, as they were made known unto the fathers, have I kept even unto this
day, and I shall endeavor to write some of these things upon this record, for
the benefit of my posterity that shall come after me.
Abraham
knew it was necessary to move because he needed to receive the blessings of the
fathers (priesthood ordinances from Adam) and he wouldn’t receive them in
Abraham
wants the priesthood order and keys to pass on to his posterity. Priesthood and temple ordinances go hand in
hand.
Abraham
wanted the temple or the greater ordinances but he knew it didn’t exist where
he lived, so he had to leave to find them.
Ordain and
Ordinances come from the root word ORDER
Records of
the fathers = temple ordinances
D&C
84:33-42 – Oath and Covenant of the priesthood comes in 3 steps or stages:
- Priesthood is conferred upon an
individual
- Endowment (Both men and women
enter into specific covenants)
- Marriage Ordinance which we
enter with our spouse and the Lord to create children
This is
Priesthood Order, to be administered by Priesthood authority and directed by
Priesthood keys.
D&C
107:41 – Lineage of Adam – The line went from Adam to Seth (after Abel’s death)
who was ordained by Adam. Priesthood is
conferred upon someone (ordaining may mean something else).
Melchizedek
priesthood holds the keys to perform ordinances that give the key to the
knowledge of God.
The Key of the Knowledge of
God
President James E. Faust
Second
Counselor in the First Presidency
The key of the knowledge
of God, administered by those who keep the oath and covenant of the Melchizedek
Priesthood, will enable us to come off as the sons of God.
Brethren of the priesthood
of God, I am again seated as I deliver my message this evening. As you are
aware, I am working through a temporary back problem. Those of you who have had
back trouble will understand. Those of you who haven’t—just wait a while! Any other
explanation of what ails me is not true!
I humbly speak to you
tonight with a prayer in my heart that you may understand me by the power of
the Spirit. It is hard to imagine anything more important for us as priesthood
holders to learn than the key of the knowledge of God. This evening I would
like to speak concerning that key.
The greater priesthood
administers the gospel and holds “the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even
the key of the knowledge of God.”1 What is the key of the knowledge of
God, and can anyone obtain it? Without the priesthood there can be no fulness
of the knowledge of God. The Prophet Joseph Smith said that the “Melchizedek
Priesthood . . . is the channel through which all
knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation and every important matter is
revealed from heaven.”2 President Joseph F. Smith stated: “One
who can truly affirm that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and Jesus is the
Savior, has in his possession a prize beyond computation. When we know this we
know God, and we have a key to all knowledge.”3
Father Abraham recognized
the value of this grand key as he recounted his experience: “I sought for the
blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to
administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring
also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of
righteousness, and to possess a greater
knowledge, . . . and desiring to receive instructions, and
to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest,
holding the right belonging to the fathers.”4
Anyone who is righteous and
desires to possess greater knowledge and to become “a greater follower of
righteousness” can, under the authority of the priesthood, obtain a greater
knowledge of God. The Lord tells us one clear way to do so, as given in the
Doctrine and Covenants: “If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon
revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, . . . that which
bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”5
One might ask, “How do I
become a greater follower of righteousness?” A righteous person is one who
makes and keeps gospel covenants. These are holy contracts,6 usually between individuals and the
Lord. Sometimes they include other persons, such as spouses. They involve most
sacred promises and commitments, such as baptism, the conferral of the
priesthood, temple blessings, marriage, and parenthood. Many of the blessings
of Father Abraham come as the Holy Ghost is poured out upon all people.7 Any worthy man or woman who receives
the Holy Ghost can actually become “a new creation.”8
To obtain the full portion
of these supernal blessings and come to a full knowledge of God, a man must
enter into and keep the oath and covenant of the priesthood.9 President Marion G. Romney
insightfully pointed out:
“The only way a man can make
the maximum progress towards eternal life, for which mortality is designed, is
to obtain and magnify the Melchizedek Priesthood. . . . It
is of utmost importance that we keep clearly in mind what the magnifying of our
callings in the priesthood requires of us. . . . It
requires at least the following three things:
“1. That we obtain a
knowledge of the gospel.
“2. That we comply in our personal living with the standards of the gospel.
“3. That we give dedicated service.”10
Two covenants are to be made
by each priesthood holder. The first is to be faithful unto the obtaining of
the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods.11 The Aaronic Priesthood trains and
prepares the priesthood holder for the greater duties of the Melchizedek
Priesthood and prepares him to receive the blessings of the oath and covenant
of the priesthood. Holding both the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods is
essential to receive the full blessings that the Lord has for His faithful
sons. The second covenant as His agent in this holy authority is to be faithful
in magnifying one’s calling with total faith in God.12
As part of the oath and
covenant of the priesthood, the Lord makes several promises to His faithful
sons “which he cannot break.”13 First, the priesthood holders “are
sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.”14 I think President Hinckley is a great
example of this. He has been renewed in body, mind, and spirit in a most
remarkable manner. Second, “they become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the
seed of Abraham.”15 Third, they become “the elect of God.”16 As His agents, they carry forth this
holy work in our time on the earth. Fourth, “all they who receive this
priesthood receive [the Lord].”17 Fifth, those who receive the Lord’s
servants receive Him.18 Sixth, those who receive the Savior
receive God the Father.19 Seventh, they also receive the Father’s
kingdom.20 Eighth, they also shall be given all
that the Father hath.21 Those who receive all that the Father
hath can receive nothing more.
You young men of the Aaronic
Priesthood have been given great authority and responsibilities. Under the
direction of the bishop, the Aaronic Priesthood functions in at least two
ordinances that are directly related to the Atonement. One is the sacrament,
which is in remembrance of the Savior’s blood shed for our sins and His body
which He gave as a ransom for us.22 The second is baptism. Priests have
authority to perform baptisms for the remission of sins. The Aaronic Priesthood
is a very real power. One young man wrote this of his experience in exercising
this power:
“At one time I attended a
ward which had almost no Melchizedek Priesthood holders in it. But it was not
in any way dulled in spirituality. On the contrary, many of its members
witnessed the greatest display of priesthood power they had ever known.
“The power was centered in
the priests. For the first time in their lives they were called upon to perform
all the duties of the priests and administer to the needs of their fellow ward
members. They were seriously called to home teach—not just to be a yawning
appendage to an elder making a social call but to bless their brothers and
sisters.
“Previous to this time I had
been with four of these priests in a different
situation. . . . They drove away every seminary teacher
after two or three months. They spread havoc over the countryside on Scouting
trips. But when they were needed—when they
were trusted with a vital mission—they were among those who shone the most
brilliantly in priesthood service.
“The secret was that the
bishop called upon his Aaronic Priesthood to rise to the stature of men to whom
angels might well appear; and they rose to that stature, administering relief
to those who might be in want and strengthening those who needed strengthening.
Not only were the other ward members built up but so were the members of the
quorum themselves. A great unity spread throughout the ward and every member
began to have a taste of what it is for a people to be of one mind and one
heart. There was nothing inexplicable in all of this; it was just the proper
exercise of the Aaronic Priesthood.”23
President Gordon B. Hinckley
recently told the Aaronic Priesthood that those of you who live worthy lives
can be blessed by the “protection of ministering angels” and that you “have
something magnificent to live up to.”24
What does it mean to be the
seed of Abraham? Scripturally it has a deeper meaning than being his literal
descendants. The Lord made a covenant with Abraham, the great patriarch, that
all nations would be blessed through him.25 Any man or woman can claim the
blessings of Abraham. They become his seed and heirs to the promised blessings
by accepting the gospel, being baptized, entering into temple marriage, being
faithful in keeping their covenants, and helping to carry the gospel to all the
nations of the earth.
To be empowered to “bear
this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations,”26 a man must receive the Melchizedek
Priesthood with its blessings. Then through faithfulness he becomes an heir to
the fulness of eternal life. For as Paul said, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are
ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”27
As the seed of Abraham, we
have some obligations. We are commanded to come to Christ by doing “the works
of Abraham.”28 These works include obeying God,
receiving and keeping priesthood and temple ordinances and covenants, preaching
the gospel, building a family unit and teaching our children, and being
faithful to the end.
It is interesting that the
Lord used the word seed in His
promise to Abraham. It has a fuller meaning than posterity because it means to
multiply the blessings of the covenant of Abraham “unto all nations.”29 The Lord promised Abraham a posterity
“as innumerable as the stars” or “the sand upon the seashore.”30
Abraham’s righteous
posterity is also privileged to be adopted into the eternal family of Jesus
Christ. This includes the right to receive eternal covenants in the temple by
which, if they are worthy, they will be organized and exalted in the eternal
family of Christ.31 It also includes “the blessings of
salvation, even of life eternal.”32
The patriarchal order runs
from Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. Through the line of the priesthood it
continues in our own day and time. Through the ages, blessings and promises
were given from the fathers to their faithful sons. A modern example of this is
taken from the life of Elder John B. Dickson of the Seventy. He recalls:
“When it was time for me to
go on a mission, I was very excited to serve the Lord. Just before I was to
leave, however, I found out that I had bone cancer. The chance of living long
enough to serve a mission wasn’t very high. I had faith that the Lord would
provide a way if He wanted me to go. My father gave me a blessing in which I
was told that I would serve my mission in
“Some would think that
losing an arm would be a terrible burden, but it has been one of the greatest
blessings in my life. I learned that it is very important to have challenges
and to face up to them.”
Elder Dickson had always
been right-handed, and now he had to learn to do everything left-handed. One
struggle was learning how to tie his ties. He said: “One Sunday morning when I
was in my bedroom with my tie in my hand, I thought, How am I going to tie this? I thought
about getting a clip-on tie. I thought about asking Mom to help me. But I
couldn’t take her with me on my mission just to tie my ties. So I decided I had
to learn how to do it myself. I finally figured it out by using my teeth. I
still do it that way, even after having tied it thousands of times.”33
We don’t know in detail all
that is going to be required of humanity, of the Saints of God in the uncertain
days ahead. Everyday righteous living will be increasingly difficult. In
addition, holders of the priesthood may well have to meet some extra challenges
in safeguarding and providing for their families. As one world leader recently
pointed out, there will be “dangers common to us all. Today’s deadly threats
come from rogue powers and stateless networks of extremists who have nothing
but contempt for the sanctity of human life and for the principles civilized
nations hold dear.”34
We can all expect to face
trials. But great eternal promises are extended to those who persist in
righteousness. The Lord has given His word that “any man that
shall . . . fail not to continue faithful in all things,
shall not be weary in mind, neither darkened, neither in body, limb, nor
joint. . . . And they shall not go hungry, neither
athirst.”35 I am optimistic about what the future
holds for the Lord’s Church and its members, but we will have to persist in
righteousness and be “faithful in all things.”36 The key of the knowledge of God,
administered by those who keep the oath and covenant of the Melchizedek
Priesthood, will enable us to come off as the sons of God. That we will do so,
I pray humbly in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Righteous = Right with the
law, makes and keeps gospel covenants.
Obedience
and sacrifice >>> Build the kingdom
Hebrews 11
– Abraham is the classic example of faith
President J. Reuben Clark Jr.
First Counselor in the First
Presidency
My brethren:
I am more grateful than I can say for the privilege which I have tonight to say
something to you. The Lord has been good to me far beyond any desert I know
about. I am grateful for your prayers and the prayers of my Brethren who have
brought this to pass.
As I stand
before you tonight to say a few words (and they are going to be few, because I
feel that the people of the Church wish to hear the President of the Church and
I do not like to see the hour pass and have our friends who are not here, not
hear him say all he would like to say), we are all bearers of the Priesthood,
we who are here and the tens of thousands who are assembling in other places to
hear what is said here.
Brethren, I
refer again and for a moment only, to what the influence, the power of this Church
would be, if we were united as one man. Then we might meet the principle
announced in the Prayer of the Great High Priest in the Garden, when He prayed
that the Disciples might be one, even as He and the Father were one, and as He
declared in modern revelation: “I say unto you be one, and if ye are not one ye
are not mine.” (John 17:21; D&C 38:27.)
I am told
that Brother Matt Cowley once voiced this idea: He said something of this sort,
“You know, I am so busy trying to understand the first principles of the Gospel
that I have no time for the mysteries.”
As I have
thought about what I might say in the few minutes I shall be with you here at
the stand, I have thought I would like to say just a little bit about the
Priesthood itself. We are all bearers of it, the Holy Priesthood after the
Order of the Son of God.
What is this
Priesthood that we have? We have had our definitions. I will come to them, if I
may, just a few minutes later. But I have thought that I would like to look
first somewhat at the work of our Savior. His work was performed through faith.
If you will examine a little bit carefully His life, you will find that in His
miracles He performed many of the great functions of creation. He worked, I
repeat, by the power of the Priesthood.
You will
remember that He walked upon the water, thus defying and overruling, so far as
we can see, the principle of gravity. You will remember that Peter asked to be
bidden to come to Him. Peter being so bidden, got out of the boat and walked a
short distance on the water and then becoming fearful, he began to sink and
called to the Lord for help, and the Lord said to him, “O thou of little faith.
. . .”
You will
remember that on one occasion He was on the Sea of Galilee and a violent storm
came up, so much so that those who were with Him feared for the sinking of the
ship. They awakened Him and appealed to Him and He stilled the tempest, having
power over the forces that were involved in that. You will recall that He fed a
multitude with a few loaves and a few fishes, five thousand on one occasion,
four thousand on another. You will recall that He also provided miraculous
drought of fish on two or three occasions. The whole world was under him
You will
recall that He cursed the barren fig tree. You will recall that He raised the
dead to life again. Think of what was involved in that.
You will
recall His thousands, almost (so far as we know), of healings of all sorts of
diseases. These were manifestations of the power of faith. Sometimes it seems
the faith was partially exercised by those whom He healed, as when the woman
touched the border of His garment and was healed of an issue of blood. At other
times it seemed as if the faith came from Himself. Think of the blessing of
faith exercised through the Priesthood.
On more than
one occasion, He said: “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed. . . .”
(Secs. 103, 140.) The commentators, I may add, make no explanation of this. The
only statement I have found about that statement,-faith is as a grain of
mustard seed-is that the mustard seed is one of the smallest of seeds. And that
was followed by, “. . . ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place; and it shall remove.” (Secs. 103, 163a.) And the commentators, who do
not understand nor, apparently, believe in faith, say that this merely was an
exaggerated imagery of the East; and that the expression “remove mountains” was
common among Jewish preachers as indicating the impressiveness with which a man
might speak, and referred only to difficulty. It is my judgment, my belief, my
testimony, that the possible removal of a mountain is a sober statement of
fact.
He told them
at one time that if they had the faith, if they believed, they could say to a
sycamine tree, “Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea,”
and it would be done. (Sec. 140.) I believe that. I believe that is literally
true.
We have been
given that Priesthood which carries in it this great power of faith. It has
been given to us, you, me, and all who are listening in of the brethren holding
the Priesthood.
What about
it? Paul said . . . faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1, I.V.) I have never been able quite to understand
that, but I can understand what has been said either by the Prophet Joseph or
with his approval, found in the old “Lectures on Faith” in the Doctrine and
Covenants. He said:
“By this we
understand that the principle of power which existed in the bosom of God, by
which the worlds were framed, was faith; and that it is by reason of this
principle of power existing in the Deity, that all created things exist; so
that all things in heaven on earth, or under the earth, exist by reason of
faith as it existed in Him.” (Lectures on Faith, 1:15.)
As I think
about faith, this principle of power, I am obliged to believe that it is an
intelligent force. Of what kind I do not know. But it is superior to and
overrules all other forces of which we know. It is the principle, the force, by
which the dead are restored to life.
I do not
believe that the Lord, that God permits any man to have faith that would
overrule His purposes. In that connection, I call to your attention the fact
that the Savior, Himself, plead that His crucifixion might be turned aside.
Yet, on one occasion He said, when He asked that the hour might be passed on, “.
. . but for this cause came I unto this hour.” The Son of God was not given the
necessary faith at that time to enable Him to turn aside the purposes reached
by Himself and the Father before and still remembered by the Father. I repeat,
I think that the Lord never gives faith to any individual to enable him to
overturn the purposes of His will. Always we are subject to what He wishes.
I think that
we should never administer to the sick, we should never pray particularly when
we pray for specific things, that we do not repeat and present to the Lord,
even as Christ prayed in the Garden, “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be
done.”
You brethren, we brethren, have had
this great power given unto us, this power of faith. What are we doing about
it? Can you, can we, do the mighty things that the Savior did? Yes. They have
been done by the members of the Church who had the faith and the righteousness
so to do. Think of what is within your power if you but live the Gospel, if you
but live so that you may invoke the power which is within you.
And I would like to add this as a
sobering thought to myself and to you each of you, and all of you: Remember the
parable of the talents where the man who failed to improve the talent given
him, had it taken from him? I ask you brethren, and myself, are we magnifying
our Priesthood in such a way, are we living close enough to the Lord and in
obedience to His commandments that we may exercise this power, or shall it be
wholly or in part taken away from us? You would better think about it. It is
worth thinking about. It is the greatest power that has been revealed to man.
God grant
that we may all so live that we shall not lose that power, but that always it
shall be available to us.
Bearing my
testimony again that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph was the
instrument, along with his associates, in the re-establishing of the Church,
that all of the rights, powers, and privileges that were lodged in the Prophet
have descended to our present President and are enjoyed by him, I bear this
testimony and I ask these blessings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
(President
J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Conference Report, April 1960, First Day General
Priesthood Meeting, p.20-22)
Faith is an
intelligent force controlled by God, (His control makes it intelligent). Faith is not an abstract concept.
Faith as
controlled by God which man may learn to control if man is centered on Christ.
Faith is
God’s power; we must have absolute confidence in it even though it cannot be
seen. This requires knowledge; it also
requires revelation even though we cannot see the outcome beforehand. An example is electricity, we can see its
effects, we have confidence in it yet it is not mine, someone else has
harnessed it and I have the right to use it.
With faith
mountains can be moved and rivers parted.
Faith has been harnessed by God and given power to man to build up the
kingdom.
Priesthood
= Power = Faith in all things
The Doctrine of the
Priesthood
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
Of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles
My brethren
of the priesthood: To all of you, to all holders of the Aaronic and Melchizedek
Priesthoods, I issue this challenge: Come, learn the doctrine of the
priesthood; come, live as befits one who is a servant of the Lord.
This
doctrine, this doctrine of the priesthood unknown in the world and but little
known even in the Church cannot be learned out of the scriptures alone. It is
not set forth in the sermons and teachings of the prophets and Apostles, except
in small measure.
The doctrine
of the priesthood is known only by personal revelation. It comes, line upon
line and precept upon precept, by the power of the Holy Ghost to those who love
and serve God with all their heart, might, mind, and strength. (See D&C
98:12.)
We have the
revealed promise that if our souls are full of charity towards all men, and to
the household of faith and if we let virtue garnish [our] thoughts unceasingly;
then shall [our] confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine
of the priesthood shall distil upon [our souls] as the dews from heaven.
(D&C 121:45.)
I have
wondered and pondered and prayed about how best to proclaim the doctrine of the
priesthood.
I have
thought, if I could but speak with the voice of seven thunders or send forth
the word by ten thousand trumpets, then men would hear the message.
But I
remember how
And I know
that the Lord does not work in this way. His word goes forth by the mouths of
his servants as they minister and labor in their weakness. That word is then carried
into receptive hearts by the still small voice of the Spirit. (See D&C
85:6.)
How else
than by the power of the Spirit can any of us ever understand spiritual truths?
How does one describe an infinite God in finite terms?
Can our
voices, as weak and distant earthly echoes, recapture the glory and power of
the Eternal Voice that speaks in heaven? Can man in his weakness and frailty
portray God in his power and might?
Knowing our
limitations, let us then reason together, and perhaps we can at least glimpse
the wonders of that power by which the worlds were made. Perhaps we can see how
and in what manner we as mortals may use this same power to bless our fellows
and save ourselves.
What, then,
is the doctrine of the priesthood? What is this doctrine, framed in the courts
above, which can distil upon faithful men as the dews from heaven? (See D&C
121:45.)
Priesthood
is power like none other on earth or in heaven. It is the very power of God
himself, the power by which the worlds were made, the power by which all things
are regulated, upheld, and preserved.
It is the
power of faith, the faith by which the Father creates and governs. God is God
because he is the embodiment of all faith and all power and all priesthood. The
life he lives is named eternal life.
And the
extent to which we become like him is the extent to which we gain his faith,
acquire his power, and exercise his priesthood. And when we have become like
him in the full and true sense, then we also shall have eternal life.
Faith and
priesthood go hand in hand. Faith is power and power is priesthood. After we
gain faith, we receive the priesthood. Then, through the priesthood, we grow in
faith until, having all power, we become like our Lord.
Our time
here in mortality is set apart as a time of probation and of testing. It is our
privilege while here to perfect our faith and to grow in priesthood power.
We received
the priesthood first in the premortal existence and then again as mortals. Adam
held the keys and used the priesthood when he participated in the creation of
the earth. After his baptism he received the priesthood again, and he now
stands as the presiding High Priest over all the earth.
All of us
who have calls to minister in the holy priesthood were foreordained to be
ministers of Christ, and to come here in our appointed days, and to labor on
his errand.
The holy
priesthood did more to perfect men in the days of Enoch than at any other time.
Known then as the order of Enoch (see D&C 76:57), it was the power by which
he and his people were translated. And they were translated because they had
faith and exercised the power of the priesthood.
It was with
Enoch that the Lord made an eternal covenant that all who received the
priesthood would have power, through faith, to govern and control all things on
earth, to put at defiance the armies of nations, and to stand in glory and
exaltation before the Lord.
Melchizedek
was a man of like faith, and his people wrought righteousness, and obtained
heaven, and sought for the city of
There are in
the Church two priesthoods: the Aaronic or Levitical, and the Melchizedek. The
Aaronic Priesthood is a preparatory priesthood, a schooling priesthood, a
lesser priesthood, a divine system that prepares men to receive the Melchizedek
Priesthood.
The
Melchizedek Priesthood is the highest and holiest order ever given to men on
earth. It is the power and authority to do all that is necessary to save and
exalt the children of men. It is the very priesthood held by the Lord Jesus
Christ himself and by virtue of which he was able to gain eternal life in the
kingdom of his Father.
Both of
these priesthoods are given by covenant. (See D&C 84:33-41.) Both of them
surpass any earthly power; both of them prepare men for salvation.
Those who
receive the Aaronic Priesthood covenant and promise to magnify their callings,
to serve in the ministry of the Master, to forsake the world, and to live as
becometh Saints.
In return,
the Lord covenants and promises to enlarge the standing and station of all who
keep their Aaronic covenant. He promises to give them the Melchizedek
Priesthood, out of which eternal life comes.
Those who
receive the Melchizedek Priesthood covenant and promise, before God and angels,
to magnify their callings, to live by every word that proceedeth forth from the
mouth of God (D&C 84:44), to marry for time and all eternity in the
patriarchal order, and to live and serve as the Lord Jesus did in his life and
ministry.
In return
the Lord covenants and promises to give them all that his Father hath, meaning
eternal life, which is exaltation and godhood in that eternal realm where alone
the family unit continues in eternity.
In return
the Lord admits them to his eternal patriarchal order, an order that prevails
in the highest heaven of the celestial world, an order that assures its members
of eternal increase, or in other words of spirit children in the resurrection.
(See D&C 131:1-4.)
These are
the most glorious promises given to men. There neither is nor can be anything
as wondrous and great. And so the Lord uses the most powerful and emphatic
language known to the human tongue to show their importance and immutability.
That is to say, the Lord swears with an oath in his own name, because he can
swear by no greater, that everyone who keeps the covenant made in connection
with the Melchizedek Priesthood shall inherit, receive, and possess all things
in his everlasting kingdom, and shall be a joint-heir with that Lord who is his
Only Begotten.
God swore
with an oath that Christ would be exalted, and he swears anew, at the time each
of us receives the Melchizedek Priesthood, that we will have a like exaltation
if we are true and faithful in all things.
Speaking
messianically of the Lord Jesus, David said, The Lord hath sworn, and will not
repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. (Ps. 110:4.)
And Paul,
after quoting this messianic word, this eternal oath sworn by God himself, said
that Christ was called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
(Heb. 5:10.)
Then of
Melchizedek, to whom Abraham paid tithes, Paul said, For this Melchizedek was
ordained a priest after the order of the Son of God, which order was without
father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor
end of life. (JST, Heb. 7:3.)
Anciently
the Aaronic Priesthood was limited to the Levites. It came because of father
and mother; it was conferred only upon the worthy male descendants of Levi. But
the Melchizedek Priesthood was to be conferred upon any male person of any
lineage who was worthy to receive it.
And so Paul
continued, And all those who are ordained unto this [higher] priesthood are
made like unto the Son of God, abiding a priest continually. (JST, Heb. 7:3.)
Christ is
the prototype; he is the Son; he is the Heir of the Father. But we, as
joint-heirs, inherit equally with him because we also abide as priests forever.
Thus we make
the covenant with Deity; and God swears the oath to us all, to show the
importance and eternal worth of the covenant.
This matter
of swearing with an oath in ancient days was far more significant than many of
us have realized.
For
instance: Nephi and his brethren were seeking to obtain the brass plates from
Laban. Their lives were in peril. Yet Nephi swore this oath: As the Lord
liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness
until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us. (1 Ne.
3:15.)
Thus Nephi
made God his partner. If he failed to get the plates, it meant God had failed.
And because God does not fail, it was incumbent upon Nephi to get the plates or
lay down his life in the attempt.
One of the
most solemn oaths ever given to man is found in these words of the Lord
relative to Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. He [meaning Joseph Smith] has
translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, saith the Lord,
and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true. (D&C 17:6.)
This is Gods
testimony of the Book of Mormon. In it Deity himself has laid his godhood on
the line. Either the book is true or God ceases to be God. There neither is nor
can be any more formal or powerful language known to men or gods.
And so it is
with the Melchizedek Priesthood. As the Lord lives, it is his holy order, and
all those priesthood holders of every nation and kindred and tongue and people
and race and color who will keep the covenant shall abide as priests forever,
ruling and reigning everlastingly with the great High Priest of our profession,
who is the Lord Jesus Christ.
What, then,
is the doctrine of the priesthood? And how shall we live as the servants of the
Lord?
This
doctrine is that God our Father is a glorified, a perfected, and an exalted
being who has all might, all power, and all dominion, who knows all things and
is infinite in all his attributes, and who lives in the family unit.
It is that
our Eternal Father enjoys this high status of glory and perfection and power
because his faith is perfect and his priesthood is unlimited.
It is that
priesthood is the very name of the power of God, and that if we are to become
like him, we must receive and exercise his priesthood or power as he exercises
it
.
It is that
he has given us an endowment of heavenly power here on earth, which is after
the order of his Son and which, because it is the power of God, is of necessity
without beginning of days or end of years.
It is that
we can enter an order of the priesthood named the new and everlasting covenant
of marriage (see D&C 131:2), named also the patriarchal order, because of
which order we can create for ourselves eternal family units of our own,
patterned after the family of God our Heavenly Father.
It is that we have power, by faith,
to govern and control all things, both temporal and spiritual; to work miracles
and perfect lives; to stand in the presence of God and be like him because we
have gained his faith, his perfections, and his power, or in other words the
fulness of his priesthood.
This, then,
is the doctrine of the priesthood, than which there neither is nor can be
anything greater. This is the power we can gain through faith and
righteousness.
Truly, there
is power in the priesthood power to do all things!
If the world
itself was created by the power of the priesthood, surely that same power can
move mountains and control the elements.
If one-third
of the hosts of heaven were cast down to earth by the power of the priesthood,
surely that same power can put at defiance the armies of nations or stay the
fall of atomic bombs.
If all men
shall be raised from mortality to immortality by the power of the priesthood,
surely that same power can cure the diseased and the dying and raise the dead.
Truly there
is power in the priesthood a power which we seek to acquire to use; a power
which we devoutly pray may rest upon us and upon our posterity forever.
In the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
(Elder Bruce
R. McConkie, The Doctrine of the Priesthood, Ensign (CR), May 1982, p.32)
(JST Hebrews 11:1-9.)
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we
understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which
are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith Abel offered
unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness
that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being dead yet
speaketh.
5 By faith Enoch was
translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had
translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he
pleased God.
6 But without faith it is
impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
7 By faith Noah, being
warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to
the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir
of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when
he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an
inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in
the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with
Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
10 For he looked for a
city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 Through faith also
Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child
when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Verses 1, 3
– Worlds were framed by the word of God through faith.
Verse 5 –
Enoch was translated, translation is an ordinance.
Verse 8 –
By faith Abraham received revelation to go to a promised land (though he didn’t
know where it was) to receive an inheritance.
He obeyed because of his absolute
confidence in something he could not see combined with action that was in
absolute conformity to the will of God.
When faith
is exercised you receive the power of God.
Verses 9-10
– Abraham wants a city like Enoch’s (Melchizedek’s city, JST Genesis 14:25-40)
Verse 11 –
Sarah also had faith to conceive, her faith was in harmony to the will of
God. When the 3 men came to Abraham and
Sarah and told that she would have a child, she needed to act on that
faith.
Faith is a
gift of God that comes from God’s power and revelation.
(JST Hebrews 11:12-19)
12 Therefore sprang there
even of one, and him as good as dead, as many as the stars of the sky in
multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable.
13 These all died in
faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and
were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such
things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had
been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had
opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a
better country, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called
their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when
he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered
up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said,
That in Isaac shall thy seed be called;
19 Accounting that God was
able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a
figure.
Abraham's Test
Even as Abraham! Concerning Abraham's
test, the biblical record says simply: "God did tempt [the JST says 'try'
instead of 'tempt'] Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold,
here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest,
and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering
upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." (Gen. 22:1-2.) What
is not discussed at that point in the record is the seeming incongruities, even
contradictions, that Abraham must have faced when he received that command.
First, consider the matter of human
sacrifice. Abraham, as a young man, had been saved by the Lord from being
offered as a sacrifice himself at the hands of an apostate priesthood who
worshiped false gods. These idol worshipers offered to their gods "men,
women, and children," specifically those who "would not bow down to
worship gods of wood or of stone." (Abr. 1:8-11.) The Lord had told
Abraham to leave the area because of those evil practices (Abr. 1:14) and go to
a strange land that would eventually belong to his descendants (Abr. 1:16-18;
2:6). Now he was being asked to offer a human sacrifice—a hard thing to
reconcile. Further, God had made it clear to Abraham on several occasions that
it was through Isaac the blessings of the covenant were to come to Abraham and
to the whole world. Those blessings are the heart and soul of bringing
salvation to the children of men, for the promise was that the seed of Abraham,
through Isaac, would be scattered among and bless "all the families of the
earth." (See Abr. 2:8-11.) How could that promise be fulfilled if Isaac
were killed? Besides, Abraham loved Isaac dearly. After all, he had waited
anxiously for Isaac to be born for at least twenty-five years from the time the
Lord first promised him an heir. fn That wait alone would be an Abrahamic test
for many. And this long wait troubled Abraham. Several years after the promise
of a son at
"Fear not, Abram: I am thy
shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt
thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this
Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed:
and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the Lord
came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come
forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth
abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able
to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be." (Gen.
15:1-5.)
To Abraham's credit, "he
believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Gen.
15:6.) More time passed. Sarai gave Hagar to Abraham, and Ishmael was born.
Thirteen more years passed. Abraham was now ninety-nine years old, and Sarai
was eighty-nine.
"And God said unto Abraham, As
for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her
name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will
bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of
her. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed [the JST says "rejoiced"],
and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years
old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old bear? And Abraham said unto God,
O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear
thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my
covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after
him." (Gen. 17:15-19.)
When Sarah heard the news, she
"laughed within herself," realizing that both she and Abraham were
"old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with [her] after the
manner of women." (Gen. 18:11.) I suspect most of us can empathize with
Sarah's reaction. But the Lord's response was sobering—"Is anything too
hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to
the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." (Gen. 18:12-14.) "At
the set time of which God had spoken" Isaac was born. (Gen. 21:2.)
Can you imagine the joy that Abraham
and Sarah must have felt—joy accompanied by deep gratitude and an undeniable
realization of the power of God and the surety of his promises. They had waited
for such a long time, yearning and praying and living righteously. The blessing
had finally come. Surely now all would go smoothly. In their old age they could
quietly witness the continued fulfillment of God's promises through Isaac. Or
could they? First came family problems: Ishmael mocked Isaac and concern grew
over who would be Abraham's heir. Hagar and Ishmael were sent away to be cared
for by the Lord. Shortly thereafter came the unthinkable requirement: offer
Isaac as a sacrifice!
Now, keeping in mind the historical
events we have reviewed, try to put yourself in Abraham's place for a moment.
How might you have reacted? I can feel myself wanting to say "No. It can't
be. Human sacrifice is an abomination. All the blessings of the covenant are to
come through Isaac. This doesn't make any sense to me. I have been obedient. I
have been patient. And besides all that, I love him with all my heart. I don't
want him to die. This is too painful. Why does it have to be this way?"
For some reason it did have to be that way, with all its seeming incongruities
and inconsistencies. And it was painful for Abraham. Joseph Smith taught that
"if God had known any other way whereby he could have touched Abraham's
feelings more acutely and more keenly he would have done so." fn
In spite of the hurt, Abraham passed his test. The Genesis account does
not describe Abraham's thoughts or feelings or questions. It matter-of-factly
says: "And Abraham rose up early in the morning . . . and went unto the
place of which God had told him." (Gen. 22:3.) But the apostle Paul bears
witness of Abraham's profound faith in God: "By faith Abraham, when he was
tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his
only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence
also he received him in a figure." (Heb. 11:17-19.)
In spite of the mind-boggling contradictions of the situation, Abraham
had faith to proceed. He had full confidence that somehow God could and
would fulfill all his promises, even though the one through whom the promises
were to come was bound on an altar and Abraham's knife was raised to slay him.
It was not until the last, precarious moment that the Lord stopped Abraham,
saying, "Abraham, Abraham: . . . Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither
do thou anything unto him; for I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast
not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." (Gen. 22:11-12.) What
faith! What discipline! What a sterling example! No wonder Abraham is held up
as the model.
Our Tests
What about us? How are we to be
tested "even as Abraham?" Being asked to offer a child as a sacrifice
just does not relate to our time and circumstance. But wrenching heart strings
does relate—to all times and circumstances. And there are many ways to wrench
the heart in any age: being asked to choose God over other things we dearly
love, even when those things are good and have been promised, and when we have
worked for them, yearned for them, prayed for them, and have been obedient and
patient; or being asked to persevere in righteousness and service (perhaps even
Church service) in the face of terrible difficulty, uncertainty, inequities,
ironies, and even contradictions; or watching helplessly as the innocent suffer
from the brutal misuse of God-given agency in the hands of evil men.
We should remember that not all the
difficulties that try the souls of men are specially designed Abrahamic tests
from God. Most, in fact, are the inevitable consequences of living in a mortal,
fallen world, where natural law and agency, for the most part, are allowed full
sway. It is true that such conditions come from God in the sense that he
created the earth and that the conditions here are allowed by him, even
designed by him to be a universal, probationary testing ground for his
children. Everyone experiences bumps in the road of life, which expose
weaknesses and strengths, giving opportunity for self-understanding, growth,
and refinement. We are not wise enough to sort out all the factors that
contribute to our challenges in this life. The critical issue is not the source
of the challenges, anyway. The critical issue is how we respond to them. We can
lose our focus and our progress if we constantly examine every bump in the road
to determine whose fault it is.
The same principle applies to
anticipating tests. It is self-defeating to spoil the present by worrying
incessantly about the "big test" that will someday come. And it just
may be that the "big test" will be very different from what we
expect. It is enough to know that God will try us—in his own time, and in his
own way, and that the very best way to prepare for that eventuality is by
faithfully dealing with present tasks.
It appears that in addition to the
general trials of life that all people face, those who claim to be the people
of the Lord are faced with special challenges both collectively and
individually.
(Richard D. Draper, ed., A Witness
of Jesus Christ: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on the Old Testament [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1990], 54.)
Abraham had
absolute confidence that after Isaac was sacrificed God would raise him from
the dead so Isaac could bring to both the posterity promised to Abraham.
If you haven’t faith to sacrifice for
the work of the Lord, if you have doubts about the possibility of one being
raised from the dead, will you stand aside and witness the workings of the
faith of Father Abraham. His faith was so great that even though he was
commanded to sacrifice the life of his son Isaac, through whom only he could
realize the promise of great posterity,
he confidently prepared for the sacrifice with full faith that Isaac could even
be raised from the dead, if necessary, to fulfill the promise of posterity.
(Harold B.
Lee, Decisions for Successful Living [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1973], 80 – 81.)
The
offering of Isaac didn’t make sense when God promised and made a covenant with
Abraham about his future posterity. But
Abraham was willing to carry it out, FAITH.
Hebrews
11:13 – Abraham and Sarah died in the faith they didn’t receive the promises in
mortality, they saw them from afar.
Example: we get up in the morning
and build the kingdom because we have faith to receive the Celestial kingdom in
the next life.
Faith is
not what we generate. It is a gift from
God through personal revelation. We
realize this by line upon line revelation.
Until we know what to pray for and that it is in conformity with
God. We need practice to learn how to
discern.
God walks
with us through the process. Like
Abraham sacrificing Isaac, he knew by revelation what to do, he had complete faith
that God knew what He was doing and therefore he obeyed the command to
sacrifice Isaac.
Why Was Abraham Commanded to Sacrifice Isaac?
In all history there is scarcely a
more soul-wrenching moment than that on
Why did Deity devise such a test?
Certainly it was for Abraham’s blessing and benefit. There can be no question
that the harder the test, the higher the reward for passing it. And here
Abraham laid his all on the altar, thus proving himself worthy of that
exaltation which he has now received. (D. & C. 132:29.) And immediately
following his conformity to the divine will, he received a heavenly
manifestation of the glory and honor reserved for him and his seed. (Gen.
22:15-18.)
Certainly, also, Abraham’s
willingness to sacrifice Isaac was intended to be an example forever of that
perfect obedience which the Lord expects of all the heirs of promise. “Abraham,”
the Lord said to Joseph Smith, “was commanded to offer his son Isaac;
nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not kill. Abraham, however, did not
refuse, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.” (D. & C. 132:36.)
And in principle, the Lord tests and tries all his saints to see if they “will
abide in” his “covenant, even unto death,” that they “may be found worthy.” (D.
& C. 98:14.) “They must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who
was commanded to offer up his only son. For all those who will not endure
chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified.” (D. & C. 101:4-5.) And for
those whose sacrifices are acceptable, the Lord provides an escape, a ram in
the thicket, so that they and their righteous works are preserved. (Gen. 22:13;
D. & C. 132:50.)
But in Abraham’s case the Lord did
something more than provide a supreme test of faith by which the Father of the
Faithful was able to sanctify his soul; he did more than create an example of
perfect faith and obedience. In addition he established a “figure,” a “similitude,”
to typify the future sacrifice of his Only Begotten Son. As Jacob expressed it,
“Abraham” was “obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac,
which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.” (Jacob 4:5.) And thus
for all generations of time whenever men think of Abraham’s test on Mount Moriah,
they think also that God himself gave his Only Begotten Son as an infinite and
eternal sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Sacrifice] See Commentary II, pp. 537-540.
17. The promises] See Heb. 11:8-16.
His only begotten son] Isaac. Abraham in fact was the
father of Ishmael by Hagar the bondwoman, but Isaac was the only son in the
royal lineage, the lineage through which the promises were to come. (Gen. 16;
21:1-21.)
19. Even as God would yet raise his Only
Begotten Son from death to glorious immortality, so Abraham knew that if he
slew Isaac at the Lord’s command, that same God would have to raise Isaac again
to mortal life that the promise might be fulfilled: “In Isaac shall thy seed be
called.” (Gen 21:12.)
(Bruce R.
McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1965-1973], 3: 207.)
Nephi and
his brothers trying to get the plates from Laban, they acted on their own 2
times and failed, finally Nephi listened to the Spirit and was led to act in
absolute conformity to God’s will.
Faith is
absolute conformity directed by the Spirit, reading what we are seeking for in
the scriptures.
General
Conformity – Reading the scriptures because it is obedient
Doing Visiting Teaching
Absolute
Conformity – Directed by the Spirit while doing Visiting Teaching
Matthew
17:14-21 – The Apostles come to Christ wondering why they couldn’t heal the
young boy, Christ said they only had a little faith, they needed much more
faith to accomplish the task, that faith comes by fasting and praying to know
God’s will, receiving revelation from God on what to do.
At the foot of the holy mount, amid “the
low levels of human life,” Jesus and his three intimate apostles found the
other members of the Quorum of the Twelve surrounded by a great multitude in
the midst of an unseemly contention. His disciples were being accused,
maligned, and ridiculed by the scribes, those self-exalting interpreters of the
law who kept alive the traditions and legends of the past.
In their ministries the Twelve had
gone forth on missions, preaching, healing, casting out devils, perhaps even
raising the dead. They had done, in Jesus’ name and by his will, what none
others had power to achieve. But this day, though they had tried, they had
failed to call down the powers of heaven to heal a poor, suffering soul. And
their failure was the source of great satisfaction to the scribes. Had not
multitudes forsaken the Galilean when he failed to place manna in their mouths
that their bellies might bulge? Had he not failed the Messianic test when he
did not show them a sign from heaven, not just a healing that could be done by
Satan’s power, but one of the great expected Messianic signs? How could he be
their Messiah and Deliverer if he was going to die in
Jesus’ sudden appearance “greatly
amazed” the people, though for what reason we do not know. Some have supposed
that his face still shone to some extent as had Moses’ when he came down from
his holy mount. They all ran to him and saluted him, and he immediately assumed
the part of his disciples in the contentious affray then in progress. “What
question ye with them?” he asked the scribes.
There was no answer. His bearing, his
dignity, their knowledge of what he had theretofore done, perhaps their fear of
what he might yet do—for sinners always fear the righteous indignation that may
burst forth at any time from godly souls—all these combined to lay a blanket of
silence over the scribes. Nor did the disciples have opportunity to state their
case. Rather, from the multitude came a certain man who said: “Master, I have
brought unto thee my son, who hath a dumb spirit that is a devil; and when he
seizeth him he teareth him; and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and
pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they might cast him out; and
they could not.”
How sad a case is this! The boy is
possessed with a devil—not an ordinary devil, though they all are evil and
vicious beyond mortal comprehension, but a particularly violent and offensive
follower of the father of lies. This evil spirit has imposed upon the lad all
the misfortunes of lunacy, epilepsy, dumbness, atrophy, and suicidal mania.
Though alive, the youth suffers a thousand deaths daily. “And I brought him to
thy disciples, and they could not cure him,” the father said.
Then Jesus, addressing himself to the
disciples—whom he loved and to whom he had given power over diseases and evil
spirits—and also to the multitudes in general, said: “O faithless and perverse
generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring
him hither to me.”
Heeding Jesus’ command, they brought
forth the lad. Luke says he was the man’s “only child,” though he must by now
have been more than twelve years of age, for the account says: “And when the
man saw him, immediately he was torn by the spirit: and he fell on the ground
and wallowed, foaming.”
Jesus seemed to be in no hurry to
ease the burden and remove the sufferings imposed by the evil spirit. Perhaps,
in part at least, he was letting the multitude assemble and giving them
opportunity to envision how serious the affliction was. “How long a time is it
since this came upon him?” Jesus inquired of the father. “When a child,” came
the response. “And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire and into the water,
to destroy him, but if thou canst, I ask thee to have compassion on us, and
help us.”
“If thou canst”—so importuned
the father who had made the agony of his son the suffering of himself. “If
thou canst”—there is little or no faith in such a plea, and to it Jesus
does not even respond. He feels no need to tell anyone what he can or cannot
do; his deeds speak for themselves.
“If thou wilt believe all things I
shall say unto you, this is possible to him that believeth,” he says. “If
thou wilt believe”—that is the issue. The issue is not what Jesus can do—he
is God and has all power—but what the man will do. All things are
possible to those who have faith. This man has yet to learn the truths that
will enable him to have faith. He is just beginning to believe. But no man has
all faith and all assurance to begin with, and if anyone covenant in his heart
to believe all that is spoken to him by the Lord or his servants, then the
desired blessing will flow unto him.
In tears, the man who but moments
before had knelt before Jesus pleading for mercy now cries out the twofold
feelings of his heart. “I believe,” and “help thou mine unbelief.” And so it is
with all of the Lord’s suffering saints. They believe—nay, they know—that Jesus
is their Lord and has all power and can do all things to bless and help them,
and yet their need is for that divine assurance which will enable them to know
that the divine help will be forthcoming in their case.
Having allowed time for the people to
come running together, for this healing must not be done in secret, Jesus now
speaks directly to the evil spirit within the man: “Thou dumb and deaf spirit,
I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.” There is a
piercing scream; the spirit cries out; agony envelops the man; the spirit rends
him; he falls to the earth as though dead; the evil spirit leaves; and many
say, “He is dead.” Jesus, however, takes him by the hand and lifts him up, and
he arises and is delivered to his father. “And the child was cured from that
very hour.” That which could not be done by the disciples, to the joy of the scribes,
has now been done by the Master, to their sorrow and discomfiture.
Jesus’ triumph—as always—is complete.
And yet his disciples are ill at ease; a feeling of failure fills their
breasts. Alone in the house, they ask: “Why could not we cast him out?” The
reply is clear, incisive, instructive:
Because of your unbelief: for verily
I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto
this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall be removed; and
nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Faith is power; by faith the worlds
were made; nothing is impossible to those who have faith. If the earth itself
came rolling into existence by faith, surely a mere mountain can be removed by
that same power. ‘Let Mount Hermon be cast into the
However, in a less severe tone, Jesus
gives this further explanation as to the failure of the disciples. “Howbeit
this kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer,” he says. Clearly there are
degrees of malignity and evil powers among the demons in hell. Just as there is
a heavenly hierarchy so is there a satanic government that puts one evil spirit
in charge of another; and just as there are degrees of righteousness and glory,
so are there levels of lewdness and evil. And it takes greater faith to
overcome greater evils. “If a man has not faith enough to do one thing,” the
Prophet Joseph Smith says, “he may have faith to do another: if he cannot
remove a mountain, he may heal the sick.” (History of the Church 5:355.)
And on this occasion of which we now
speak, so great was the faith and so wondrous the miracle that Luke concludes: “They
were all amazed at the mighty power of God.”
(Bruce R.
McConkie, The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979-1981], 3: 70.)
D&C
84:14 – Abraham received the priesthood from Melchizedek, not having known
beforehand where to go!
As Latter-day Saints, we know a great
deal about Melchizedek as a result of these verses in
Now Melchizedek was a man of faith,
who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the
mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.
And thus, having been approved of
God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God
made with Enoch,
It being after the order of the Son
of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father
nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God;
And it was delivered unto men by the
calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed
on his name. (JST, Genesis 14:26-29)
In writing his epistle to the
Hebrews, Paul spoke of Christ who “glorified not himself to be made an high
priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten
thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the
order of Melchizedek” (Heb 5:5-6).
Who in the days of his flesh, when he
had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him
that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Though he were a Son, yet learned he
obedience by the things which he suffered. (Heb 5:7-8)
Most of us have heard these verses
quoted scores of times, particularly verse eight, in reference to the place of
obedience and suffering in the process of the Son of God becoming perfect.
There is, however, a fascinating note at this point on the manuscript page in
the Joseph Smith Translation; it states that verses seven and eight “are a
parenthesis alluding to Melchizedek and not to Christ” (see footnote a to Heb
5:7 in the LDS Bible). That is to say, Melchizedek, though a son, learned
obedience by the things which he suffered. But is such not true of Christ?
Certainly. As Elder McConkie has
suggested, it is true of both.
The fact is verses 7 and 8 apply to both Melchizedek and to Christ,
because Melchizedek was a prototype of Christ and that prophet’s ministry
typified and foreshadowed that of our Lord in the same sense that the ministry
of Moses did. . . . Thus, though the words of these verses, and particularly
those in the 7th verse, had original application to Melchizedek,
they apply with equal and perhaps even greater force to the life and ministry
of him through whom all the promises made to Melchizedek were fulfilled. (Doctrinal
3:157; see also Promised 450-51)
And what of the relationship of
Melchizedek to Abraham?
And finding there was greater
happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers,
and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having
been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed
great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess
a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and
desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became
a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers.
(Abraham 1:2)
On 27 August 1843, Joseph Smith offered prophetic commentary on the
seventh chapter of Hebrews, Paul’s discussion of the place and power of the
Melchizedek Priesthood. According to James Burgess, the Prophet said:
Paul is here treating of three different priesthoods, namely, the
priesthood of Aaron, Abraham, and Melchizedek. Abraham’s priesthood was of
greater power than Levi’s, and Melchizedek’s was of greater power than that
of Abraham. . . . I ask: was there any sealing power attending this
[Levitical] Priesthood that would admit a man into the presence of God? Oh no,
but Abraham’s was a more exalted power or priesthood. He could talk and walk
with God. And yet consider how great this man [Melchizedek] was when even this
patriarch Abraham gave a tenth part of all his spoils and then received a
blessing under the hands of Melchizedek—even the last law or a fulness of the
law or priesthood, which constituted him a king and priest after the order
of Melchizedek or an endless life. (Words of Joseph Smith 245-46,
spelling and punctuation corrected; emphasis added.)
According to Elder Franklin D. Richards, the Prophet explained that the
power of Melchizedek was “not the power of a prophet, nor apostle, nor
patriarch only, but of a king and priest to God, to open the windows of heaven
and pour out the peace and law of endless life to man. And no man can attain to
the joint heirship with Jesus Christ without being administered to by one
having the same power and authority of Melchizedek” (Words of Joseph Smith
245; spelling and punctuation corrected). In summary, Joseph the Prophet
explained, “Abraham says to Melchizedek, I believe all that thou hast taught me
concerning the priesthood and the coming of the Son of Man; so Melchizedek
ordained Abraham and sent him away. Abraham rejoiced, saying, Now I have a
priesthood” (TPJS 322-23).
As we have noted already,
And so Melchizedek is the prototype,
the example, the scriptural illustration. He received the priesthood, magnified
callings in the priesthood, and chose to work righteousness; he made it
possible for himself and his people to enter into the rest of the Lord through
applying the atoning blood of Christ and by virtue of the sealing powers of the
priesthood. Paul likewise stressed the importance and example of this faithful
soul: “For this Melchizedek was ordained a priest after the order of the Son of
God, which order was without father, without mother, without descent, having
neither beginning of days, nor end of life. And all those who are ordained unto
this priesthood are made like unto the Son of God, abiding a priest continually”
(JST, Heb 7:3), It is in this context, then, that we see the ultimate reward of
faithful service in the priesthood, a reward “according to the oath and
covenant which belongeth to the priesthood” (D&C 84:39). Those who abide by
the covenant of the priesthood magnify their callings therein, and live
by every word of God, eventually receive what Enoch and Melchizedek received:
God swears unto them with an oath, by his own voice, that the fulness of
eternal reward will be theirs (see D&C 84:33-40).
(Monte S.
Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., Alma, the Testimony of the Word
[Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1992], 80.)
(Moses 7:12-13.)
12 And it came to pass
that Enoch continued to call upon all the people, save it were the people of
13 And so great was the
faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle
against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and
the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were
turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the
wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch,
and so great was the power of the language which God had given him.
Enoch was
preaching and leading his people. The
faith of Enoch was so strong that he knew what to do because of the power of
the language which God had given him.
God gave Enoch the power to cause the earth to tremble, the rivers and
mountains to change, he received this power because of his faith.
Keys can
only be exercised by faith. President
Hinckley holds the keys of the priesthood today, he exercising the keys by his
faith. We must obey what he asks us to
do, we then exercise our faith!
|
(Moses 7:18.)
18
And the Lord called his people
In December of 1831,
Sidney Rigdon became Joseph Smith's Scribe. That same month, Moses 7 was
received as part of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. In that
revelation, the concept of
Moses 7
18 And the Lord called his people ZION, because they
were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no
poor among them.
Notice
the three parts that define
(1)
They were of one heart and one mind,
(2) They dwelt in righteousness;
(3) And there was no poor among them.
One Heart and One Mind
One heart and one mind expresses the idea that the community
is in omplete unity in thought and action with God and his prophets.
Dwelt in Righteousness
President
Jame E. Faust taught, "One might ask, “How do I become a greater follower
of righteousness?” A righteous person is one who makes and keeps gospel
covenants." ("Key to the Knowledge of God," Ensign Nov 2004, p
52)
No
Poor Among Them
Another way
to put this is that all in
President
Marion G. Romney taught the importance of this in these words:
The
scriptures are full of commandments regarding our obligation to care for the
poor; therefore, I will not elaborate further. It has always seemed somewhat
paradoxical to me that we must constantly have the Lord command us to do those
things which are for our own good. The Lord has said,
"He
that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake
shall find it" (Matthew 10:39).
We lose our
life by serving and lifting others. By so doing we experience the only true and
lasting happiness. Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can
earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of
which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made.
Knowing
that service is what gives our Father in Heaven fulfillment, and knowing that
we want to be where He is and as He is, why must we be commanded to serve one
another? Oh, for the glorious day when these things all come naturally because
of the purity of our hearts. In that day there will be no need for a
commandment because we will have experienced for ourselves that we are truly
happy only when we are engaged in unselfish service. Let us use the freedom
which comes from self-reliance in giving and serving.
Can we see how critical self-reliance becomes when looked upon as the
prerequisite to service, when we also know service is what Godhood is all
about? Without self-reliance one cannot exercise these innate desires to serve.
How can we give if there is nothing there? Food for the hungry cannot come from
empty shelves. Money to assist the needy cannot come from an empty purse.
Support and understanding cannot come from the emotionally starved. Teaching
cannot come from the unlearned. And most important of all, spiritual guidance cannot
come from the spiritually weak.
There is an
interdependence between those who have and those who have not. The process of
giving exalts the poor and humbles the rich. In the process, both are
sanctified. [CR, 136] The poor, released from the bondage and limitations of
poverty, are enabled as free men to rise to their full potential, both
temporally and spiritually. The rich, by imparting of their surplus,
participate in the eternal principle of giving. Once a person has been made
whole or self-reliant, he reaches out to aid others, and the cycle repeats
itself.
We are all
self-reliant in some areas and dependent in others. Therefore, each of us
should strive to help others in areas where we have strengths. At the same
time, pride should not prevent us from graciously accepting the helping hand of
another when we have a real need. To do so denies another person the
opportunity to participate in a sanctifying experience.
Again, I say the principle of self-reliance is spiritual, as
are all the principles of the welfare program. ("Celestial Nature of
Self-Reliance," Ensign, Nov. 1982, 91-93)
What
1. One heart Unity
with the Lord’s will worldwide emphasis on the family. Following God’s
2. One mind will
through the prophet and personal revelation, and then apply it in our lives
3. Dwell in Righteousness
Make and keep covenants, entering into and honoring temple
covenants, keep a life of consecration to the
kingdom
4. No poor among them Self reliance, the freedom to act (agency)
to the will of God. PEF,
welfare, humanitarian aid, missionary fund
June 2006 Ensign will have the complete worldwide broadcast
given in February 2006.
We are doing what Enoch did in our Church today!
Study the priesthood manuals of the teachings of the
Presidents of the Church, also Conference Reports from the 1970’s on.
In June 1830 Joseph Smith began a
careful study of the King James Version of the Bible. With Oliver Cowdery as
scribe, he began to prepare what he called a “new translation” of the scriptures,
what was called for years the Inspired Version and what we now know as the
Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST). John Whitmer, Emma Smith,
Frederick G. Williams, Newel K. Whitney, and Sidney Rigdon served, at one time
or another, as scribes. Rigdon joined the Church in November 1830, traveled
from
“It may be well to observe here, that
the Lord greatly encouraged and strengthened the faith of his little flock . .
. which had embraced the fulness of the everlasting Gospel, as revealed to them
in the Book of Mormon, by giving some more extended information upon the Scriptures,
a translation of which had already commenced. Much conjecture and conversation
frequently occurred among the Saints, concerning the books mentioned, and
referred to, in various places in the Old and New Testaments, which were now
nowhere to be found. The common remark was, ‘They are lost books’; but it seems
the
Whereas the biblical record in
Genesis 5 contains only three verses descriptive of the ministry of Enoch,
Genesis in the Joseph Smith Translation consists of more than one hundred
verses. A careful reading of the text reveals the following about Enoch:
1. At the age of sixty-five Enoch was
called of God to cry repentance to a wicked people.
2. Though shy, hesitant, and slow of
speech, Enoch was given divine assurance and promised great power: “Behold my
spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains
shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou
shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.” (JST Genesis 6:36.)
3. Enoch became a seer and was given
a knowledge of “things which were not visible to the natural eye.” (JST Genesis
6:38.)
4. Enoch’s preaching led many people
to repent. The city became so righteous that “the Lord came and dwelt with his
people, and they dwelt in righteousness.” Further, “the fear of the Lord was
upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his
people.” (JST Genesis 7:20-21.)
5. Enoch established an economic
order for the poor and needy. “And the Lord called his people
6. Enoch saw in vision a future day
when the “elect” would be gathered to a “
61
Enoch
and his people were eventually translated, taken into heaven without
experiencing death. “And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt
in the midst of
Joseph Smith’s discovery of the Zion
of Enoch through his work of Bible translation became pivotal in the quest for
a society of
In time the concept of Zion began to
expand in the minds of the Saints, so that Zion came to refer not only
to a specific location—be it Jackson County or even Kirtland, Ohio (see D&C
94:1; 96:1)—but also to a state of being, a state of righteousness. “Let
“ . . . As to the spirit of
On another occasion he affirmed: “
Finally, President Young alluded to
the scriptural warning found in Doctrine and Covenants 45:68. “The time is
nigh,” he taught, “when every man that will not take up his sword against his
neighbour must needs flee to
From the very beginning the Saints
were encouraged to put their trust “in that Spirit which leadeth to do
good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my
Spirit.” (D&C 11:12.) This spirit of unselfishness, of brotherhood and
equity, was what had characterized the Nephites during their golden era. Of
that supernal season Mormon wrote: “And they taught, and did minister one to
another; and they had all things common among them, every man dealing justly,
one with another.” (3 Nephi 26:19.) People who trust in the Spirit of the Lord,
who give themselves over to the mind of the Almighty, come to love as he loves,
to seek out and succor the needy, to see to the wants of those who hunger and
thirst. It follows naturally, therefore, that the Lord should reveal those
principles by which individuals and societies can be made one. Joseph the
Prophet had learned of Enoch’s day that “the Lord called his people
“And again I say unto you, let every
man esteem his brother as himself.
“For what man among you having twelve
sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith
unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to the other: Be
thou clothed in rags and sit thou there—and looketh upon his sons and saith I
am just?
“Behold, this I have given unto you
as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not
one ye are not mine.” (D&C 38:24-27.)
God soon made known to the Latter-day
Saints those ideals and principles by which a modern
“But behold, they have not learned to
be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all
manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to
the poor and afflicted among them;
“And are not united according to the
union required by the law of the celestial kingdom;
“And
The establishment of a
“
“As a messenger before the Lord, the
society of
“He [the Prophet] recommended the
Saints to cultivate as high a state of perfection in their musical harmonies as
the standard of the faith which he had brought was superior to sectarian
religion. To obtain this, he gave them to understand that the refinement of
singing would depend upon the attainment of the Holy Spirit. . . . When these
graces and refinements and all the kindred attractions are obtained that
characterized the ancient Zion of Enoch, then the
In seeking to expand the Latter-day
Saints’ vision of what could be accomplished through the elevated perspective
provided by the gospel, President Spencer W. Kimball observed that “our own
talent, obsessed with dynamism from a CAUSE” could produce masterpieces in
literature and art that will yet surpass what has been rendered by the world’s
greatest. “Take a da Vinci or a Michelangelo or a Shakespeare and give him a
total knowledge of the plan of salvation of God and personal revelation and
cleanse him, and then take a look at the statues he will carve and the murals
he will paint and the masterpieces he will produce. Take a Handel with his
purposeful effort, his superb talent, his earnest desire to properly depict the
story, and give him inward vision of the whole true story and revelation, and
what a master you have!” fn
Perhaps one of the most glorious and
expansive visions of
Truly, “
Conclusion
The quest for the city of God among
the Latter-day Saints—the quest for Zion—has been and continues to be a noble
cause among our people, providing both direction and motivation toward that
eschatological ideal we have come to know as a society of the pure in heart.
Zion, “the highest order of priesthood society,” fn is a concept that has grown
and expanded since the time Joseph Smith encountered it in the Book of Mormon
in the early part of the last century. It, like many other aspects of the
restored gospel, has been unfolded to the people of modern
Elder Erastus Snow pointed out in
1884 that when the early Saints “first heard the fullness of the Gospel
preached by the first Elders, and read the revelations given through the
Prophet Joseph Smith, our ideas of
(Susan Easton Black et al., Doctrines
for Exaltation: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on the Doctrine and Covenants
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 183 – 184.)
Our
prophets saw what we would be dealing with and what we would need, just like
Isaiah, Nephi, Mormon and
Our 1st
Presidency and Quorum of then 12 think globally, we need to
consecrate our $$ to help build up the kingdom throughout the world. The laws of sacrifice, worship and
consecration are taught in the temple, and we make covenants to obey these
laws.
Moses
7 and the Marriage Covenant
The Saints
leave
Sidney
Rigdon was a skilled, knowledgeable man who knew the scriptures well; he was
also good with the English language.
Moses 7 was
needed before D&C 38, it’s important to study both, they are tied together.
Because
more light has been given with the Restoration, wickedness has also increased
on the earth.
It takes
time to understand doctrine, even prophets are always learning.
God is
merciful; if we sincerely repent He will take us back as His sons and
daughters. God is just and merciful, but
mercy cannot satisfy justice, God will do everything He can to help His
children.
Must Be Governed
by Laws, Principles and
Feelings
John Taylor
"God is interested
in the whole of the human family. He cannot take them all into the celestial
kingdom, for they are not all prepared to go there, and you cannot prepare them
and He cannot, because they have to be governed by certain laws and certain
principles and certain feelings, and if they are not governed by these and will
not be governed by a celestial law, they are not prepared for a celestial
glory. There are some that may be governed by a terrestrial law, and may be
prepared for a terrestrial glory, but not for a celestial glory. Still, they are
God's children, and He is doing the best by them He can."
(Journal of Discourses, 24:195)
Mortality
is a dot compared to the time frame before and after our lives.
God is
passionate He shows emotion, part of His character. Moses 7:28-40)
Moses 7 helped
Joseph understand a little more about work for the dead.
There is an interesting and highly
spiritual event recorded in Moses 7:28-41, in which Enoch witnessed the God of
heaven weeping. He expressed his astonishment that the Lord, who had so many creations
and so much power, should weep. The Lord explained that he wept because of the
wickedness of his children that they were without natural affection; they hated
one another, and would not receive him to be their Father and God, and that
because of their wickedness they would have to suffer. Then Enoch also wept
with the Lord. That is a most spiritual and touching scene, and we are indebted
to the Prophet Joseph Smith’s translation of Genesis (also recorded in the book
of Moses), which contains this remarkable record.
(Richard D.
Draper, ed., A Witness of Jesus Christ: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on the Old
Testament [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1990], 146.)
(Moses 7:41-44.)
41 And it came to pass
that the Lord spake unto Enoch, and told Enoch all the doings of the children
of men; wherefore Enoch knew, and looked upon their wickedness, and their
misery, and wept and stretched forth his arms, and his heart swelled wide as
eternity; and his bowels yearned; and all eternity shook.
42 And Enoch also saw
Noah, and his family; that the posterity of all the sons of Noah should be
saved with a temporal salvation;
43 Wherefore Enoch saw
that Noah built an ark; and that the Lord smiled upon it, and held it in his
own hand; but upon the residue of the wicked the floods came and swallowed them
up.
44 And as Enoch saw this,
he had bitterness of soul, and wept over his brethren, and said unto the
heavens: I will refuse to be comforted; but the Lord said unto Enoch: Lift up
your heart, and be glad; and look.
Enoch also
sees the coming of the Lord and is glad, Moses 7:47-61.
Enoch's Visions of the Future
Enoch, like so many of those with the
prophetic mantle, was given a panoramic vision of the Lord's creations,
including a vision of all of the inhabitants of this earth (cf. Moses 1:8, 27;
Abr. 3:12). Spanning time in a glimpse, Enoch saw that future day when his own
city of holiness,
Being filled with the Spirit, Enoch
the Seer was alive and sensitive to the things of God. He witnessed as the God
of heaven wept in behalf of his wayward children on earth. "How is
it," the prophet inquired, "that the heavens weep, and shed forth
their tears as the rain upon the mountains?" Further, "How is it that
thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity?" Enoch's
questions are the type that would probably be on the minds of most mortal and
finite men: How is it possible that the Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent
One can weep? How can it be that he who is from everlasting to everlasting, the
Creator and governor of "millions of earths like this," is touched
and emotionally moved with sorrow over a grovelling mass of mere mortals? It
was in questioning that Enoch began to come to understanding of infinite worth.
The prophet Enoch had reaffirmed upon his soul the glorious truth that God is
an exalted man, the Father of the spirits of all humanity, and that he lives in
the family unit. In spite of the vastness of his creative activities, he is
there, and his bosom is there: he is available, and his mercy and kindness
are forever (Moses 7:28-30). God's infinity does not preclude either his
immediacy or his intimacy. The Lord's tender regard for his offspring is
evident in the following passage:
The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold
these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hand, and I gave unto
them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden,
gave I unto man his agency;
And unto thy brethren have I said,
and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they
should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and
they hate their own blood. . .
Behold, I am God; Man of Holiness is
my name; Man of Counsel is my name; and Endless and Eternal is my name, also.
Wherefore, I can stretch forth mine
hands and hold all the creation which I have made; and mine eye can pierce them
also, and among all the workmanship of mine hands there has not been so great
wickedness among thy brethren. . . .
Wherefore should not the heavens
weep, seeing these shall suffer? (Moses 7:32-33, 35-37). fn
Sharing the Lord's vision and perspective,
Enoch responded to the wickedness of mankind in a similar fashion. "His
heart swelled wide as eternity; and his bowels yearned; and all eternity
shook." Witnessing specifically the decadent decades of Noah's day, Enoch
"had bitterness of soul, and wept over his brethren, and said unto the
heavens: I will refuse to be comforted." But the Lord lifted Enoch's eyes
and his heart through pointing toward the glories of future generations. Enoch
looked and "saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, even in the
flesh; and his soul rejoiced" (Moses 7:41-47). Still stunned, however, by
the awfulness of the deluge in Noah's day, Enoch sought a promise of the Lord
that the earth would never again be destroyed by water. The Lord agreed, and
offered the rainbow as a token of that covenant, and also as a reminder of a
future day when righteousness would be found once more among the people of God
(Moses 7:50-51; cf. JST, Gen. 9:21-25).
Enoch beheld the times of restitution
of all things, the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times; the day when
righteousness would be sent down out of heaven, and truth—in the form of the
Book of Mormon, for example—would come forth out of the earth, all given to
bear witness of the truths of salvation; the gathering of the elect in the
latter days and the eventual establishment of a modern Zion, the New Jerusalem,
to be built in Independence, Missouri; the return of the city of Enoch at the
time of the Second Coming, and the glorious reunion of Zion from above and Zion
from beneath. Finally, Enoch saw in vision the Savior's introduction of the
millennial reign, the period wherein "for the space of a thousand years
the earth shall rest." The account of Enoch's mighty vision closes on this
note: "And the Lord showed Enoch all things, even unto the end of the
world; and he saw the day of the righteous, the hour of their redemption, and
received a fulness of joy" (Moses 7:62-67).
The City of
Enoch's preaching and example led to
the establishment of a city of holiness, which came to be known as
Zion is a name given by the Lord to his
covenant people, who are characterized by purity of heart and faithfulness in
caring for the poor, the needy, and the distressed (see D&C 97:21).
This highest order of priesthood
society is founded on the doctrines of love, service, work, self-reliance, and
stewardship, all of which are circumscribed by the covenant of consecration. fn
Enoch's society—including social and
economic aspects—grounded, as we suppose, in the principles and practices of
consecration and stewardship, fn stands as the scriptural prototype for all cities
that aspire to become known as Zion—a society made up of the pure in heart
(D&C 97:21). Elder Orson Pratt wrote:
One of the most beautiful
characteristics of the antediluvian Zion, was that "they were of one heart
and one mind, and there was no poor among them," a perfect union of
sentiment and feelings: no bitterness—no hatred—no slandering or reviling—no
defrauding or taking advantage one of another—no person seeking to aggrandize
himself by heaping up riches while others were poor—no selfishness or pride—no
hypocrisy or affectation: but every one loved his neighbor as himself—every one
studied the welfare of the whole—every one considered himself as only a steward
over the things committed to his charge: it was all considered the Lord's, and
ready to be appropriated for any purpose which the Lord should direct. They
were equal in earthly things, therefore the Lord made them equal in heavenly
things. Nothing short of continued revelation could ever have brought about an
order of things so perfect. fn
Enoch's closeness to the things of
God (and thus his exalted perception), was critical in the achievement of
heaven on earth. Elder Joseph Young suggested:
From these revelations it may be
inferred that the disciples of Enoch were gathered together. At his suggestion
they built a city, on the site which he had selected. He had seen the heavens
opened; had gazed upon cities that were celestial; had been familiar with the
gorgeousness of the heavenly mansions, and the splendor of their architecture.
Acquiring thereby a superior intelligence and the spirit of refinement and
taste, which enabled him to instruct his brethren to build after the pattern of
the heavenly.
The gathering of the people and the
building of the city increased and continued for a great length of time, until
it was consummated. The form, the order and architecture of the buildings of
the city of
Those who fully abide by the laws of
the celestial kingdom eventually qualify for the blessings of the kingdom,
including the presence of the Lord himself. In the city of
And all the days of
And Enoch and all his people walked
with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion; and it came to pass that Zion was
not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the
saying, ZION IS FLED (Moses 7:68-69). fn
Enoch and his people were translated.
Their bodies were changed in such a manner that they could have power over
death, and such that they would never experience bodily pain. They were lifted
spiritually to a terrestrial state. fn In the words of Elder Bruce R. McConkie,
"those who were translated before the resurrection of our Lord"—which
would include Enoch and his city—"'were with Christ in his resurrection'
(D&C 133:55). Those who have been translated since the resurrection of
Christ"—such as John the Revelator and the Three Nephites—"shall
continue to live as mortals until the Second Coming when they shall receive
their immortal glory. It will be resurrected, not translated beings, who shall
return with the city of
The Return of the City of
In a revelation to the Church given
in March of 1831, the "God of Enoch" spoke of the ancient Zion as
having been "separated from the earth, and . . . received unto myself—a
city reserved until a day of righteousness shall come" (D&C 45:11-12).
In detailing the astral phenomena incident to the Second Coming, the Lord
explained to his meridian Twelve: "And, as I said before, after the
tribulation of those days, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, then
shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all
the tribes of the earth mourn; and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the
clouds of heaven, with power and great glory" (JS-M 36). In commenting
upon this passage, the Prophet Joseph Smith said: "There will be was and
rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. . . . Then
will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world
do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc." fn One wonders:
Could such a dramatic occasion be the re-appearance of the City of
Noah was instructed by God concerning
a covenant made with Enoch, and of the rainbow as a token or reminder of that
covenant.
And the bow shall be in the cloud;
and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant, which I
made unto thy father Enoch; that, when men should keep all my commandments,
Zion should again come on the earth, the city of Enoch which I have caught up
unto myself.
And this is mine everlasting
covenant, that when thy posterity shall embrace the truth, and look upward,
then shall Zion look downward, and all the heavens shake with gladness, and the
earth shall tremble with joy;
And the general assembly of the
church of the firstborn shall come down out of heaven, and possess the earth
and shall have place until the end come. And this is mine everlasting covenant,
which I made with thy father Enoch (JST, Gen. 9:21-23).
(Robert L.
Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 2: The Pearl of
Great Price [Salt Lake City: Randall Book, 1985], 136.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
45:17.)
17 For as ye have looked
upon the long absence of your spirits from your bodies to be a bondage, I will
show unto you how the day of redemption shall come, and also the restoration of
the scattered
Why the Resurrection Is So Important
With so much scriptural emphasis on
the resurrection, it is natural to wonder why it is so important. Why could we
not simply continue into eternity as spirit beings without the physical body?
In the New Testament the account of Jesus’ resurrection is beautifully given;
but it is in latter-day revelation that we learn why it was so important.
The resurrection of our individual
bodies is important because our Heavenly Father has a resurrected body of flesh
and bone (see D&C 130:22), as has our Heavenly Mother. It would be possible
to continue in eternity as spirit bodies without the physical body, but as such
we could not reach the fulness of salvation. A spirit body without a resurrected physical body cannot obtain a
fulness of joy (see D&C 93:33-34). The revelations inform us that the
spirits of mankind in the world of spirits, where they go when they depart from
this mortal life, wish to have their bodies, and look upon the long absence
from their bodies as a bondage (D&C 45:17; 138:50).
The Prophet Joseph Smith discussed the eternal
significance of the body, and also of the devil’s dilemma in having no body: “We
came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in
the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a
body. The devil has no body, and herein is his punishment. He is pleased when
he can obtain the tabernacle of man, and when cast out by the Savior he asked to
go into the herd of swine, showing that he would prefer a swine’s body to
having none.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, comp. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith.
And also: “Perhaps there are
principles here that few men have thought of. No person can have this salvation
except through a tabernacle.... The greatness of [Lucifer’s] punishment is that
he shall not have a tabernacle. This is his punishment.” (Joseph Fielding
Smith, comp. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Resurrection Is a Priesthood Ordinance
Paul, in his great treatise on
resurrection in 1 Cor. 15, poses two questions: “How are the dead raised up? And
with what body do they come?” (v. 35.) He then proceeds to answer these
questions in the remainder of the chapter and explains that all will rise from
the dead, but not with the same glory (verses 29-42). Yet, says Paul,
regardless of the degree of glory, all will receive a body that is immortal and
incorruptible (vss. 42-44). We have already discussed the important fact that
in the resurrection each receives the same body which was the “natural body,” the
body our spirit lived in during mortality (D&C 88:28). It will, of course,
have become immortal by then.
In response to Paul’s question as to “How are
the dead raised up?” we have the further teachings of Apostles and prophets in
this dispensation that resurrection is a priesthood ordinance, and will be
conducted in an orderly, assigned manner, agreeable to the established order of
the kingdom. Both President Brigham Young (Journal of Discourses. 26
vols. Photo Lithographic Reprint.
In general conference of April 1977,
President Spencer W. Kimball quoted President Brigham Young: “We are in
possession of all the ordinances that can be administered in the flesh; but
there are other ordinances and administrations that must be administered beyond
this world. I know you would like to ask what they are. I will mention one. We
have not, neither can we receive here, the ordinance and the keys of
resurrection.” (Journal of Discourses. 26 vols. Photo Lithographic
Reprint.
Any doctrine or ordinance as
fundamental to man’s eternal salvation as the resurrection of the dead is of
necessity regulated and performed by the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood. It
is also part of the patriarchal order of the family. So far as the celestial
kingdom is concerned, the resurrection is a family event. We would at first
naturally suppose that Jesus would resurrect himself, but perhaps he did not.
Jesus did not baptize himself. The clear rendering of Acts 2:22-24, 32;
3:12; 5:30 (as cited above)
represents Peter saying on three separate occasions that God raised up Jesus
from the dead. If we read those passages literally and combine that concept
with the teachings of President Young and Elder Snow, that only a resurrected
being can perform a resurrection, we may gain an insight into the resurrection
process as a patriarchal family order in which a righteous resurrected father
would resurrect his son, and so forth.
A curious observation in John 20:4-7
indicates that as Peter and John looked into the empty tomb they saw the linen
clothes in which Jesus had been wrapped. The napkin which had been about his
head was in a separate place, neatly folded. Something about the arrangement of
the linen was sufficient to attract the attention of these two Brethren and
also rate a special notice in John’s testimony. Whatever else is meant, the
impression is that Jesus had come forth from the dead in orderly, dignified
fashion, and took time to fold the clothing.
After Jesus’ resurrection, many of the Saints
whose bodies were in their graves around
The Law of Resurrection
Resurrection is necessary because of
the fall of Adam. The law governing the resurrection is stated in Alma
11:42-45, and specifically provides that all shall rise from the dead, the body
restored to the spirit, no parts missing, and the resurrected person restored
to the presence of God for judgment. That a judgment should come after the
resurrection of the body is reasonable, because we will be judged of the deeds
done while in the body (
Such fundamental guidelines to the
process of resurrection can direct our thinking and enlarge our comprehension
of the eternal plan of salvation. For example, the question is often asked; “Is
Jesus the Savior of worlds in addition to this earth?” The correct answer is “Yes,”
according to the scriptures (D&C 76:24; 88:24) and the teachings of the
Brethren. Next question: “Did Jesus have to suffer and die on any other worlds
to redeem them, as he did on this earth?” The answer, based on the provisions
of
(Robert J.
Matthews, Behold the Messiah [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1994], 287.)
Some find
the Church too restrictive: Elder John
Groberg said the following –
I hear some people say, “The gospel
is too restrictive.” But we must look at the other side. It is really not
restrictive at all. It is hope-giving. It gives us a pattern to follow whereby
we can gain hope. There is hope, and that is what the Church is about. That is
what the Savior is about. He came to give us hope.
We must change, and we can. The
message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is, “I can change; there is always hope.”
We can choose and improve and become as He is.
Remember the quotation from 1 Jn.
3:2-3: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we
shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth
himself, even as he is pure.”
Hope is a purifying, refining
process.
(Hope [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994],.)
The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints exists to get us ready for the Millennium,
which gets us ready for the Celestial kingdom.
Repentance is a change of heart, part of our preparation.
The term
“Free Agency” is a misnomer, agency is never “free”, and our choices have
lasting consequences. There is free
will, and freedom to choose.
The Terms Free Agency
and Moral Agency
Boyd K. Packer
The phrase "free
agency" does not appear in scripture. The only agency spoken of there is
moral agency, "which," the Lord said, "I have given unto him,
that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of
judgment." (D&C 101:78; italics added.) ["Our Moral
Environment," Ensign, May 1992, p. 67]
Life is meant to be a
test to see if we will keep the commandments of God. (See 2 Ne. 2:5.) We are
free to obey or to ignore the spirit and the letter of the law. But the agency
granted to man is a moral agency. (See D&C 101:78.) We are not free to
break our covenants and escape the consequences. ("Covenants," Ensign,
Nov. 1990, p. 84)
Spencer J. Condie
I am indebted to
President Boyd K. Packer, who made us aware of the fact that the term free
agency appears nowhere in holy writ. Instead, the scriptures generally speak of
agency or free will, but when agency is modified, it is referred to as "moral
agency" (D&C 101:78; emphasis added). Because the term free
agency has been used by various modern prophets, I use the terms free
agency and moral agency interchangeably, aware that the latter term
is more correct. ("Agency: The Gift of Choices," Ensign, Sept.
1995, p. 18)
The highest
degree in the celestial kingdom has full agency because greater laws were
obeyed.
Other
degrees of glory are also kingdoms of agency, but not of a fulness.
Premortal
existence, not preexistence, since we have always existed use terms of the
standard works (No scriptural foundation for free agency or unconditional
love.)
(Moses 7:60-61.)
60 And the Lord said unto
Enoch: As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of
wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath which I have made unto you concerning
the children of Noah;
61 And the day shall come
that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened,
and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and
also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but
my people will I preserve;
Joseph
Smith received this before revelations on the doctrine of consecration. Spiritual blindness covers the earth but
God’s people will be preserved (temporally and spiritually). Enoch is promised there would be no more
floods to cover the earth but there would be fire.
Oath &
Covenant of the Priesthood – Oath is on God’s side, Covenant is what we make
with God.
Teachings
of Wilford Woodruff – He talks about the 1st meeting in the upper room
of the Red Brick Store. I need to find
this story.
Moses 7:64
– The millennium will last 1000 years and the earth shall rest.
There is a
lot of scripture written about Abraham.
Marriage Sealing
Abrahamic Covenant
Genesis
12:1-3 – Abraham 2:6
Mortal Promises
Eternal Blessings
1. Abraham will have children (seed) 1. Eternal Increase
2. His children will have a land of promise 2. Thrones, kingdoms, everything
God has (Celestial)
3. Posterity will have the gospel (noble &
great) 3. Godhood, Eternal Lives
Privilege to bless all nations
Promises 1
& 2 are the means by which we obtain the eternal blessings
Earth is
God’s footstool, we don’t own a thing, and we only own our agency that was
given to us by God. Free will precedes
agency
Abraham was
raised in an environment without few will.
God is giving them land where they can be in control and exercise free
will.
(Abraham 2:11.)
11 And I will bless them
that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy
Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a
promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee
(that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the
families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which
are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.
The right
is earned by performance in premortality, the noble and great come through a
particular lineage. However, because of
the Fall it has become a privilege.
In the spirit world there were some
who were valiant—more valiant than others—in choosing to do good, and thus they
became the noble and great ones of whom the Lord said, "These I will make
my rulers" (Abraham 3:23), and so
in this earth, coming through a chosen lineage, those noble and great ones are
expected, as members of the Church and kingdom of God in every age, to be
rulers of the world of sin and wickedness.
(Elder
Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, October 1945, Afternoon Meeting 46.)
Election of
Grace will be initiated by the Abrahamic Covenant.
How the Law of Election Operates
Paul here tells how the election of
grace fits into the gospel scheme. His Roman readers knew what he was talking
about because they already understood the doctrine of election. Since the
sectarian world has little or no comprehension of pre-existence and eternal
progression, upon which doctrines the principles of election are based, it is
no wonder that these and other teachings of Paul are so completely misconstrued
by them.
This doctrine of the election of
grace is as follows: "As part of the new song the saints will sing when
they 'see eye to eye' and the millennial era has been ushered in will be these
words, 'The Lord hath redeemed his people, Israel, According to the election of
grace, Which was brought to pass by the faith And covenant of their fathers.'
(D. & C. 84:98-102;
"This election to a chosen
lineage is based on pre-existent worthiness and is thus made 'according to the
foreknowledge of God.' (1 Pet. 1:2.) Those so grouped together during their
mortal probation have more abundant opportunities to make and keep the
covenants of salvation, a right which they earned by pre-existent devotion to
the cause of righteousness. As part of this election, Abraham and others of the
noble and great spirits were chosen before they were born for the particular
missions assigned them in this life. (Abra. 3:22-24;
“As with every basic doctrine of the
gospel, the Lord's system of election based on pre-existent faithfulness has
been changed and perverted by an apostate Christendom. So absurd have been the
false conclusions reached in this field that millions of sincere though
deceived persons have devoutly believed that in accordance with the divine will
men were pre-destined to receive salvation or damnation which no act on their
part could change. (Teachings, p. 189.)
"Actually, if the full blessings
of salvation are to follow, the doctrine of election must operate twice. First,
righteous spirits are elected or chosen to come to mortality as heirs of
special blessings. Then, they must be called and elected again in this life, an
occurrence which takes place when they join the true Church. (D. & C.
53:1.) Finally, in order to reap eternal salvation, they must press forward in
obedient devotion to the truth until they make their 'calling and election
sure' (2 Pet. 1), that is, are 'sealed up unto eternal life.' (D. & C.
131:5.)" (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., pp. 216-217.)
(Bruce R.
McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1965-1973], 2: 273.)
BIBLE DICTIONARY
ELECTION
A theological term primarily denoting God’s choice of the
house of Israel to be the covenant people with privileges and responsibilities,
that they might become a means of blessing to the whole world (Rom. 9: 11; Rom. 11: 5, 7, 28). Election is an opportunity for
service and is both on a national and an individual basis. On a national basis
the seed of Abraham carry the gospel to the world. But it is by individual
faithfulness that it is done.
The elect are chosen even “before the foundation of the world,” yet no one is
unconditionally elected to eternal life. Each must, for himself, hearken to the
gospel and receive its ordinances and covenants from the hands of the servants
of the Lord in order to obtain salvation. If one is elected but does not serve,
his election could be said to have been in vain, as Paul expressed in 2 Cor. 6: 1.
We see that elections are not all of the same kind. Since election has to do
with God’s choice of persons or groups to accomplish his purposes, some may be
elected by him to one thing and some to another. Although the Lord uses certain
individuals to accomplish his purposes, it does not necessarily follow that
these persons will automatically receive a fulness of salvation thereby. For
instance, Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus fulfilled certain purposes in the economy of
God, but they apparently did it for their own reasons and not as conscious acts
of faith and righteousness. On the other hand, salvation of one’s soul comes
only by personal integrity and willing obedience to the laws and ordinances of
the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thus there are some elections to be desired over
others. An “election of grace” spoken of in D&C 84: 98-102 and Rom. 11: 1-5 has reference to
one’s situation in mortality; that is, being born at a time, at a place, and in
circumstances where one will come in favorable contact with the gospel. This
election took place in the premortal existence. Those who are faithful and
diligent in the gospel in mortality receive an even more desirable election in
this life, and become the elect of God. These receive the promise of a fulness
of God’s glory in eternity (D&C
84: 33-41).
The concept held by many that God unconditionally elected some to be saved and some
to be damned without any effort, action, or choice on their part is not
correct, for the scriptures teach that it is only by faith and obedience that
one’s calling and election is made sure (2 Pet. 1; D&C 131: 5).
D&C
84:98-102 – Romans 11:1-5
Election of
Grace – Being born at a time, at a place, and in circumstances where one can
come in favorable contact with the gospel.
Ideal
Election – Born in the Covenant
Abraham was shown the organization of
spirits prior to their coming into mortality. Directing Abraham’s attention to
the assembly of “noble and great ones,” God said, “These I will make my rulers;
for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and
he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou
wast born” (Abr. 3:22–23). In what appears to have been a similar vision,
President Joseph F. Smith said: “I observed that they [the Prophet Joseph
Smith, his father, Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff,
and other choice spirits] were also among the noble and great ones who were
chosen in the beginning to be rulers in the
Christ was chosen and called in the
Grand Council of Heaven to be the Only Begotten in the flesh and thus the
Savior or Redeemer of all mankind. Prophets and Apostles and all who were
designated to receive the priesthood and significant roles in the Lord’s plan
and program were also in like manner forechosen and foredesignated. The house of
In our pre-earth estate, death and
suffering were unknown to us. In that day we were spirits free from the lusts
and passions of the flesh. Disease, physical appetites, and weariness were
unknown. Nevertheless we had agency, which implies that there were important
choices to be made, choices between what we would believe and what we would not
believe, choices relative to the causes we would support and those we would not
support, choices relative to the preparations we would make for this mortal
sojourn and to the talents we would seek to develop, choices between that which
was good and that which was not good. This is obvious from the fact that one third
of the host of heaven became sons of perdition, meaning they were hopelessly
lost.
The laws of our pre-earth society,
the laws that we were schooled to live, were gospel laws. Chosen brethren held
the holy priesthood and used it not only in the creation of the earth but in
positions of authority in which they were called to teach, lead, and direct
their brothers and sisters. Certainly there was a church organization wherein
we aided and schooled each other in understanding and living the gospel plan. Through
the experiences of the first estate, men and women developed talents which they
now possess. We bring with us the degree of spirituality and intelligence we
acquired while yet in the presence of God. There were musicians,
mathematicians, artists, orators, persuasive personalities, wise men, and on
and on among the premortal hosts, even as there are among us now. Abraham saw
in vision the noble and great spirits while they yet dwelt in the Divine
Presence, meaning he saw those who had acquired the talent for spirituality and
leadership. We are born with every talent, capacity, and aptitude we gained by
obedience to law while in our premortal estate. As to mortal life, we know that
“if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his
diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the
world to come” (see D&C 130:18–19). This principle is surely true in
describing the manner in which our first estate dictates our place and position
in mortality.
(Joseph
Fielding McConkie, Joseph Smith: The Choice Seer [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1996],.)
Premortality
– 3 Groups
Valiant –
very obedient – Right of the gospel
Less
Valiant – Not as obedient – Don’t have gospel rights unless the gospel is
preached to them
Rebellious
– Followers of Satan, they want our bodies
The Latter-day Saint view of the
physical body is unusually optimistic in the Christian world. The body is
corrupt in the sense that it is decaying and dying. The flesh is the means by
which a fallen nature comes into being and thus the means by which sin and
sorrow emerge. But the body is also the tabernacle of the human spirit and is,
in conjunction with that spirit, a vital part of the living soul that will rise
in the resurrection. Satan and his followers do not have a body. They are
spirits; their consuming desire to possess a body is manifest in the New
Testament account of the devils entering the Gadarene swine. (See Mark 5:1-13;
Luke 8:26-33.) Joseph Smith taught, "We came to this earth that we might
have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom [the
highest heaven]. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body.
The devil has no body, and herein is his punishment. . . . All beings who have
bodies have power over those who have not. “Teachings, p 181, 190 Also,
"Salvation is nothing more nor less than to triumph over all our enemies
and put them under our feet. . . . No person can have this salvation except
through a tabernacle, “Teachings, p 297 meaning, of course, a physical body.
(Robert L.
Millet, The Mormon Faith: Understanding Restored Christianity [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 59 - 60.)
Why did the demons desire to enter
the bodies of the swine? Or, for that matter, how came they to take up tenancy
in the body of the man? We cannot tell and do not know how it is that evil
spirits—few or many—gain entrance into the bodies of mortal men. We do know
that all things are governed by law, and that Satan is precluded from taking
possession of the bodies of the prophets and other righteous people. Were it
not so, the work of God would be thwarted—always and in all instances—for
Lucifer leads the armies of hell against all men, and more especially against
those who are instrumental in furthering the Lord's work.
There must be circumstances of
depression and sin and physical weakness that, within the restrictions of
divine control, permit evil spirits to enter human bodies. We do know their
curse is to be denied tabernacles, and we surmise that the desire for such
tenancy is so great that they, when permitted, even enter the bodies of beasts.
And it may be, in this instance, that
the devils, ejected from their ill-gotten home by a power they could not
resist, sought to thwart His work by the next-best expedient available to
them—that of destroying the livelihood of many people, so they would rise up in
anger against Him who destroyed their craft. And, in fact, this is what
happened.
When they who fed the swine saw what
was done, "they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the
country." The word was noised about in Gerasa and
(Bruce R.
McConkie, The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979-1981], 2: 282.)
D&C
132 – Abraham Paradigm
Paradigm =
Pattern
D&C 132
– Plural marriage (term used when God commands it and is sanctioned by Him)
There are
biblical examples of plural marriage and an example of one marriage not
sanctioned by God.
(Doctrine and Covenants
132:29-37.)
29 Abraham received all
things, whatsoever he received, by revelation and commandment, by my word,
saith the Lord, and hath entered into his exaltation and sitteth upon his
throne.
30 Abraham received
promises concerning his seed, and of the fruit of his loins—from whose loins ye
are, namely, my servant Joseph—which were to continue so long as they were in
the world; and as touching Abraham and his seed, out of the world they should
continue; both in the world and out of the world should they continue as
innumerable as the stars; or, if ye were to count the sand upon the seashore ye
could not number them.
31 This promise is yours
also, because ye are of Abraham, and the promise was made unto Abraham; and by
this law is the continuation of the works of my Father, wherein he glorifieth
himself.
32 Go ye, therefore, and
do the works of Abraham; enter ye into my law and ye shall be saved.
33 But if ye enter not
into my law ye cannot receive the promise of my Father, which he made unto
Abraham.
34 God commanded Abraham,
and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this
was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was
fulfilling, among other things, the promises.
35 Was Abraham, therefore,
under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, commanded it.
36 Abraham was commanded
to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not kill.
Abraham, however, did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for
righteousness.
37 Abraham received
concubines, and they bore him children; and it was accounted unto him for
righteousness, because they were given unto him, and he abode in my law; as
Isaac also and Jacob did none other things than that which they were commanded;
and because they did none other things than that which they were commanded,
they have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit
upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods.
Abraham
received all things by revelation and commandment. Do the works of Abraham and enter into my law
and you shall be saved.
Abraham Paradigm – (Pattern of how to acquire
Godhood)
- All of his actions are done by
revelation and commandment, and he enters into his exaltation or has
attained exaltation and Godhood.
- Abraham received promises
concerning his seed, verse 30
- Abraham and his seed should
continue out of this world as innumerable as the stars
- This promise is yours also
because you are of Abraham, verse 31
2. Faith with obedience is acting without seeing
the end; we should do all that God commands us.
Abraham received 5 concubines (slave wives),
it was their cultural norm, not ours, vs. 37
We have been bought with a cost; Christ has redeemed us from
our fallen condition. We covenant to
obey God and Christ and as slaves, we take upon us God’s name and then He gives
us everything He has. This is a positive
connotation of slavery, we have a bad connotation of the word because of mans
inhumanity to man her in mortality (Satan’s rule).
(1 Corinthians 7:23.)
23
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
Thus he describes those whom he
has redeemed in the language of belonging and possession. As Paul wrote,
"Ye are bought with a price." (1 Cor. 7:231 Corinthians 7:23.)
Similarly, the Lord said of the Saints in
Among the Lord's most intimate and
personal reassurances to us are his words in modern revelation to the children
of Christ, teaching us that belonging to him in this doctrinally based sense is
the ultimate source of safety and peace—the spiritual fulfillment of our amae:
"Fear not, little children, for ye are mine, and I have overcome
the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me; and none of them
that my Father hath given me shall be lost." (D&C 50:41-42; emphasis
added.)
The doctrine of belonging to Christ
clearly derives from his Atonement: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt
not, fear not. Behold, the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of
the nails in my hands and feet." (D&C 6:37.)
Does it matter that these supernal
promises to us find their source in his Atonement? At an earlier time in our
lives, we were generally aware that the Lord blesses and helps us in times of
need, but we did not see the connection between those blessings and the
Atonement. We saw things much as did another Church member who once wrote in a
personal letter that "although the Savior can heal many of our pains, this
has nothing to do with the atonement." He believed that "through the
Spirit of Christ and the Holy Ghost we can be comforted from the stresses of
this world, but the Atonement is only for the sins of mankind." What,
then, does the Atonement-based theology of belonging—"the doctrine of
Christ" (2 Nephi 31:21) as well as the teachings of the last supper—tell
us about the relationship between being "his people" and being healed
by his Atonement?
(Bruce C.
Hafen and Marie K. Hafen, The Belonging: The Atonement and Relationships
with God and Family Heart [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994], 149.)
Ingratitude
See ATONEMENT OF CHRIST,
THANKSGIVING. Among all sins, none is so prevalent as the sin of ingratitude.
It consists in failure to keep the commandments of God. Men have been
"bought with a price" (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Cor. 7:23; 2 Pet. 2:1), the
price of the blood and suffering of our Lord. Because they have been so
purchased they are redeemed from death and have opportunity to gain eternal
life. Since they now belong to the Lord, he having paid so great a price for
them, it is his right to expect them to keep the commandments. By failing to do
so they manifest gross ingratitude for all that has been done for them.
(Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp. 131-133.)
(Bruce R.
McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2d ed. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966],
380.)
The story
of the Prodigal Son shows how he would rather be a slave in his Father’s house
then continuing to have freedom while eating with the pigs.
Hagar is a
slave to Sarah; all children coming from Hagar are Sarah’s. Hagar ridicules Sarah for not being able to
have children, while she can.
For women
her crowning item is having children and being able to have children in the
eternities (meaning of eternal lives). Men have the priesthood to have balance
between man and woman, yet women have access to the priesthood also.
Large
families were necessary in an agricultural society because of the need for
workers.
The House of the Father – House of
4 wives – 4
houses – when the sons come there will be more houses, multigenerational family
Jacob
Leah Rachel
Zilpah Bilhah
From these came the 12 Tribes of
The
birthright son takes over the house of the father, Jacob’s 1st born
son Reuben lost his birthright so it went to Joseph.
(Genesis 12:1.)
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Abraham is
to make his own house. He is leaving the
house of his father and the land and large workforce, which means his earthly
security.
Genesis 23
– Sarah dies. Abraham doesn’t have any
land to bury his wife. He won’t receive
his own land during mortality. Others
give him a place to bury his wife.
Life goes
according to the Lord’s timetable, not mans.
The Lord promised Abraham many great things, but they won’t happen
during mortality, great patience and understanding of the Lord’s ways, (FAITH).
(Genesis 12:4-5.)
4 So Abram departed, as
the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was
seventy and five years old when he departed out of
5 And Abram took Sarai his
wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had
gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in
Abraham was
75 when he departed with his wife and
Sarah was
Abraham’s ½ sister (they had the same father, Terah), inter family marriage did
not have the connotation it would today.
It kept a large family together for generations
When one
house takes a wife from another house he is not only taking away a daughter,
but a whole generational line. So a
bridal price would be very expensive to compensate for the loss. The best bride would be a sister or niece or
cousin to keep the land and labor force intact.
Blood
Revenge – when you lose someone in your house by someone else (murder or
accident).
When
culture conflicts with God’s doctrine, we must change the cultural behavior to
come into agreement with God’s doctrine
Often the
Lord gives directions without explanations.
Learn with an attitude of faith, God requires obedience before the
blessing.
(JST Genesis 17:21-28) –
Obedience from Abraham was immediate.
21 And God said unto
Abraham, as for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah
thou shalt call her name.
22 And I will bless her,
and I will give thee a son of her; yea, I will bless her, and she shall be
blessed, The mother of nations; kings and people shall be of her.
23 Then Abraham fell upon
his face and rejoiced, and said in his heart, There shall a child be born unto
him that is an hundred years old, and Sarah that is ninety years old shall
bear.
24 And Abraham said unto
God, Oh that Ishmael might live uprightly before thee!
25 And God said, Sarah thy
wife shall bare thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will
establish my covenant with him also, for an everlasting covenant with his seed
after him.
26 And as for Ishmael, I
have heard thee; Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and
will multiply him exceedingly;
27 Twelve princes shall he
beget, and I will make him a great nation.
28 But my covenant will I
establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the
next year.
When the
command to be circumcised was given he obeyed the SAME DAY!
Faith
obedience = acting without fully seeing the end.
Adam
sacrificed by command but did not know why until an angel came told him the
reason why, similitude of Christ’s sacrifice for all of us.
(JST Genesis 12:10-15.)
10 And it came to pass,
that when Abram was come into
11 The princes also of
Pharaoh saw her, and commanded her to be brought before Pharaoh; and the woman
was taken into Pharaoh's house.
12 And he entreated Abram
well for her sake; and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants,
and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
13 And the Lord plagued
Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
14 And Pharaoh called
Abram, and said, What hast thou done unto me in this thing? Why didst thou not
tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might
have taken her unto me to wife; now therefore, behold I say unto thee, Take thy
wife and go thy way.
15 And Pharaoh commanded
men concerning him; and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.
(JST Genesis 13:1-2.)
1 And Abram went up out of
2 And he went on his
journey from the south, even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been
at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; unto the place of the altar, which he
had made there at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.
Trials
given to Abraham, he loses things very close to him.
- Sarah going to Pharaoh’s house
as his wife, also Gen 20 with King Abimelech
- Hagar and Ishmael when they are
driven out
- Commanded to kill Isaac
- Land and inheritance by leaving
his home
- Attempted sacrifice by one of
Pharaohs priests (Facsimile 1)
Sarah
The name Sarah appears in a
revelation on marriage (D&C 132:34). Her name was Sarai, which the Lord
changed to Sarah, meaning "Princess" (Gen. 17:15; LDSBD, 769). This
latter name is most appropriate in terms of her serving as Abraham's queen
throughout the eternities.
In addition to being Abraham's wife,
Sarah was also his half-sister (Gen. 11:29; 20:12). This latter relationship
was an important factor in the deception foisted upon the Egyptians, when she
was introduced as Abraham's sister rather than his wife. This was done in order
to protect Abraham from possible assassination by those who would be fascinated
by her and desire her for their own household, for she was a "very fair woman"
(Abr. 2:21-25; Gen. 12:10-20).
In a similar stratagem involving King
Abimelech, the Lord intervened to protect Sarah's virtue (Gen. 20). She died at
the age of 127, 38 years before Abraham, and was later buried by him in the
(Hoyt W.
Brewster, Jr., Doctrine and Covenants Encyclopedia [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1988], 490.)
Abraham knew the law of obedience.
First of all, "But Sarai was barren; she had no child [Gen. 11:30]."
Then Gen. 12:1, "…Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and
from thy father's house…"
He has to get going. Nine and ten:
Going on still southward and there was famine in the land (nothing to eat).
That's one of the reasons everybody is moving now.
Then he gets to
Then his wife has this terrible
affair with Hagar (all these squabbles at home). In chapter 16 she says to him
(the great and marvelous Sarah, his wife), "My wrong be upon thee: I have
given my maid into thy bosom; and…I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge
between me and thee." She wouldn't judge, but because Abraham was
childless she allowed him to take another wife, Hagar. Then Hagar started
making snide remarks because she had a son, and making life miserable for Sarah
(not a happy domestic situation). Then
(Hugh
Nibley, Ancient Documents and the Pearl of Great Price, edited by Robert
Smith and Robert Smythe [n.p., n.d.], 7.)
It isn’t a
test unless it hurts and doesn’t make sense, Elder Maxwell on Irony.
Neal A.
Maxwell, “Irony: The Crust on the
Bread of Adversity,” Ensign, May 1989, 62
What I now read is a most wintry verse indeed: “Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit
to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.” (Mosiah
23:21.)
This very sobering
declaration of divine purpose ought to keep us on spiritual alert as to life’s
adversities.
Irony is the hard crust on the bread of adversity. Irony can try both our faith and our patience. Irony can be a particularly bitter form of
such chastening because it involves disturbing incongruity. It involves
outcomes in violation of our expectations. We see the best laid plans laid
waste.
An individual is visibly and
patiently prepared for an important role amid widespread expectation of his
impending promotion or election. What follows, however, lasts only a very
narrow moment in time. A political victory seems so near, recedes, and finally
vanishes altogether.
Without meekness, such
ironical circumstances are very difficult to manage.
In a marriage, a careless
declaration hardens into a position, which position then becomes more important
than communication or reconciliation. An intellectual stand is proudly and
stubbornly defended even in the face of tutoring truth or correcting counsel.
Yet occasionally, as we all know, backing off is really going forward.
Sometimes it takes irony to induce that painful but
progressive posture.
With its inverting of our
anticipated consequences, irony becomes the frequent cause of an
individual’s being offended. The larger and the more untamed one’s ego, the
greater the likelihood of his being offended, especially when tasting his
portion of vinegar and gall.
Words then issue, such as
Why me? Why this? Why now? Of course, these words may give way to subsequent
spiritual composure. Sometimes, however, such words precede bitter
inconsolability, and then it is a surprisingly short distance between disappointment
and bitterness.
Amid life’s varied ironies, you and I may begin to wonder, did not God notice this torturous turn
of events? And if He noticed, why did He permit it? Am I not valued?
Our planning itself often
assumes that our destiny is largely in our own hands. Then come intruding
events, first elbowing aside, then evicting what was anticipated and even
earned. Hence, we can be offended by events as well as by people.
Irony may involve not only unexpected suffering but also
undeserved suffering. We feel we deserved better, and yet we fared worse. We
had other plans, even commendable plans. Did they not count? A physician,
laboriously trained to help the sick, now, because of his own illness, cannot
do so. For a period, a diligent prophet of the Lord was an “idle witness.” (Morm. 3:16.)
Frustrating conditions keep more than a few of us from making our appointed
rounds.
Customized challenges are
thus added to that affliction and temptation which Paul described as “common to
man.” (1
Cor. 10:13.)
In coping with irony, as in all things, we have an Exemplary Teacher in Jesus. Dramatic irony assaulted Jesus’ divinity almost constantly.
For Jesus, in fact, irony began at His birth. Truly, He suffered the will of the Father “in all
things from the beginning.” (3 Ne. 11:11.)
This whole earth became Jesus’ footstool (see Acts 7:49), but
at
At the end, meek and lowly
Jesus partook of the most bitter cup without becoming the least bitter. (See 3 Ne.
11:11; D&C 19:18–19.)
The Most Innocent suffered the most. Yet the King of Kings did not break, even
when some of His subjects did unto Him “as they listed.” (D&C 49:6.)
Christ’s capacity to endure such irony was truly remarkable.
You and I are so much more
brittle. For instance, we forget that, by their very nature, tests are unfair.
In heaven, Christ’s lofty
name was determined to be the only name on earth offering salvation to all
mankind. (See Acts 4:12; 2 Ne.
25:20; see also Abr. 3:27.) Yet
the Mortal Messiah willingly lived so modestly, even, wrote Paul, as a person
“of no reputation.” (Philip. 2:7.)
What a contrast to our
maneuverings over relative recognition and comparative status. How different,
too, from the ways in which some among us mistakenly see the size and response
of their audiences as the sole verification of their worth. Yet those fickle
galleries we sometimes play to have a way of being constantly emptied. They
will surely be empty at the Judgment Day, when everyone will be somewhere else,
on their knees.
As the Creator, Christ
constructed the universe, yet in little Galilee He was known merely as “the
carpenter’s son.” (Matt. 13:55.)
In fact, the Lord of the universe was without honor even in His own Nazarene
countryside. Though astonished at His teachings, his neighbors “were offended
at him.” (Mark 6:3.) Even
meek Jesus “marvelled because of their unbelief.” (Mark 6:6.)
As Jehovah, Jesus issued the
original commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy, but during His mortal
Messiahship, He was accused of violating the Sabbath, because on that day He
gave healing rest to the afflicted. (See John 5:8–16.)
Can we absorb the irony of being hurt while trying to help? Having done good, when we are
misrepresented, can we watch the feathers of false witness scatter on the
winds?
Christ, long, long ago as
Creator, provided habitable conditions for us on this earth, generously
providing all the essential atmospheric conditions for life, including
essential water. (See Moses 1:33; D&C
76:24.) Yet on the cross, when he was aflame with thirst,
“they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted
thereof, he would not drink.” (Matt. 27:34;
see also Ps. 69:21.) Even
so, there was no railing but a forgiving Christ. (See Luke 23:34.)
Christ was keenly aware of
the constant irony: “Foxes have holes, and birds of the
air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (Luke 9:58.)
He asked a treacherous Judas, “Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48.)
And then there was the soulful lament, “O Jerusalem,
We all know what it is like
not to be listened to, but how about disdain or even contempt? Furthermore,
there is a difference between noticing rejection, as Jesus did, and railing
against rejection, as He did not.
As the Creator, Christ
fashioned “worlds without number” (Moses 1:33),
yet with His fingers He fashioned a little clay from spittle, restoring sight
to one blind man. (See John 9:6.) The
Greatest meekly ministered “unto one of the least of these.” (Matt.
25:40.)
Do you and I understand that
the significance of our service does not depend upon its scale?
Within hours Christ would
rescue all mankind, yet he heard the manipulated crowd cry, “Barabbas,” thereby
rescuing a life-taking murderer instead of life-giving Jesus. (See Mark
15:7–15.)
Can we remain true amid
false justice? Will we do our duty against the roar of the crowd?
As the Master Teacher,
Christ tailored His tutoring, depending upon the spiritual readiness of His
pupils. We see instructive irony even in some of these episodes.
To the healed leper
returning with gratitude, Jesus’ searching but simple query was, “Where are the
[other] nine?” (Luke 17:17.)
To a more knowledgeable mother of Apostles, desiring that her two sons sit on
Jesus’ right and left hands, Jesus reprovingly but lovingly said, “Ye know not
what you ask. … [This] is not mine to give.” (Matt. 20:22–23.)
To a grieving but rapidly maturing Peter, still burning with the memory of a
rooster’s crowing, thrice came the directive, “Feed my sheep,” but also a
signifying of “by what death” the great Apostle would later be martyred. (John
18:25–27; John 21:15–19.)
How much more demanding of Peter than of the leper!
If a sudden, stabbing light
exposes the gap between what we are and what we think we are, can we, like
Peter, let that light be a healing laser? Do we have the patience to endure
when one of our comparative strengths is called into question? A painful crisis
may actually be the means of stripping corrosive pride off of that virtue.
To the humbly devout woman
of
Can we remain silent when
silence is eloquence—but may be used against us? Or will we murmur, just to let
God know we notice the ironies?
Yet, even with all the ironies, sad ironies, there is the grand and glad irony of Christ’s great mission. He Himself noted that precisely because He
was “lifted up upon” the cross, He was able to “draw all men unto [him],” and
being “lifted up by men,” even so should “men be lifted up by the Father.” (3 Ne.
27:14.)
But how can we fortify
ourselves against the irony in our lives and cope better when it
comes?
By being more like Jesus,
such as by loving more. “And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge
him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it;
and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he
suffereth it, [Why?] because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering
towards the children of men.” (1 Ne. 19:9.)
There are other significant
keys for coping. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23.)
Wise self-denial shrinks our sense of entitlement.
Another cardinal key is to
“live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which [God]
doth bestow upon you.” (Alma 34:38.)
Life’s comparatively few ironies are much more than offset by heaven’s many mercies! We cannot count all
our blessings every day, but we can carry over the reassuring bottom line from
the last counting.
Another vital way of coping
was exemplified by Jesus. Though He suffered all manner of temptations (see Alma 7:11),
yet He “gave no heed unto them” (D&C 20:22).
Unlike some of us, He did not fantasize, reconsider, or replay temptations. How
is it that you and I do not see that while initially we are stronger and the
temptations weaker, dalliance turns things upside down?
Jesus’ marvelous meekness
prevented any “root of bitterness” from “springing up” in Him. (Heb. 12:15.)
Ponder the Savior’s precious words about the Atonement after He passed
through it. There is no mention of the vinegar. No mention of the scourging. No
mention of having been struck. No mention of having been spat upon. He does
declare that He “suffer[ed] both body and spirit” in an exquisiteness which we
simply cannot comprehend. (D&C 19:18;
see also D&C 19:15.)
We come now to the last and
most terrible irony of Jesus: His feeling forsaken at
the apogee of His agony on
No wonder the Savior tells
us that the combined anguish in Gethsemane and on
Furthermore, even after
treading the winepress alone (see D&C 76:107),
which ended in His stunning, personal triumph and in the greatest victory
ever—majestic Jesus meekly declared, “Glory be to the Father”! (D&C
19:19.) This should not surprise us. In the premortal world,
Jesus meekly volunteered to be our Savior, saying, “Father, thy will be done,
and the glory be thine forever.” (Moses 4:2.)
Jesus was true to His word.
Now, in closing, I humbly
declare, “Glory be to the Father”—first, for rearing such an Incomparable Son.
Second, “Glory be to the Father” for allowing His special Son to suffer and to
be sacrificed for all of us. On Judgment Day, brothers and sisters, will any of
us want to rush forward to tell our Father how we, as parents, suffered when we
watched our children suffer?
Glory be to the Father, in
the name of Him who can succor us amid all our ironies and adversities (see Alma
7:11–12), even Jesus Christ, amen.
God has the right over life
or death or marriage. So God can tell us
what to do in these areas. God commanded
Nephi to kill Laban. God commanded
plural marriage. God commanded sacrifice
and the taking of concubines.
Our cultural norms are not His norms
(Isaiah 55:8-9.)
8 ¶ For my thoughts are
not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts than your thoughts.
It is not our choice to
take a life (euthanasia, assisted suicide etc) unless God commands it since He
has control over life and death.
Mortality is the time to
prove us in preparation for the Millennium.
We need to be obedient to things we cannot see and understand to help us
become Gods, to be able to create worlds of our own.
The sacrifice of Isaac made
no sense, yet Abraham was obedient as was Isaac. Each test has gotten worse; Isaac is about
20-30 years old.
Genesis 12 and 25 – Place
names are quite similar, as well as the country 12:1, and the son, Isaac and
Christ.
Abraham and Isaac
Abraham, who was promised that he
would be the father of nations or multitudes, is venerated as such today by
Jews, Christians, and Mohammedans alike. Among Christians no Old Testament
figure is more universally recognized as a type for Christ. Known also as the
father of the faithful (which title, like that of father of multitudes, is a
likeness of Christ), Abraham and Isaac were understood to be "a similitude
of God and his Only Begotten Son," even in Old Testament times (Jacob
4:5). The Abraham narrative begins with his obedient response to the command of
God in leaving
Abram and Sarai first went to
When the Lord established his
covenant with Abraham in the
As Isaac grew, his older brother,
Ishmael, turned on him to mock, and thus Ishmael and his mother were cast out
by Abraham and Sarah. Paul saw this as a type. He likened Ishmael, the child of
the flesh or the child of bondage (he being the son of the bondwoman), to the
Mosaic law; Isaac, the child of promise and son of the freewoman, he likened to
the fulness of the gospel. Those seeking to embrace the higher law were
persecuted in like manner by those born of the carnal law. Yet they are heirs
to the promise, while their persecutors are destined to wander in the
wilderness. (Galatians 4:22-31.)
In all scriptural writ there is no
more perfect similitude of events yet future nor any more detailed Messianic
prophecy than the command of God to Abraham that he offer his son as a
sacrifice. "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and
get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon
one of the mountains which I will tell thee of" (Genesis 22:2). Father and
son immediately commenced the three-day journey from
The place of the offering we have
already identified.
Abraham's life personified faith and
typified the blessings that flow from obedience. Through Isaiah the Lord said:
"Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord:
look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are
digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I
called him alone [when he was but one], and blessed him, and increased
him." (Isaiah 51:1-2.) To Joseph Smith the Lord said: "Abraham
received all things, whatsoever he received, by revelation and commandment, by
my word, saith the Lord, and hath entered into his exaltation and sitteth upon
his throne .... Go ye, therefore, and do the works of Abraham." (D&C
132:29, 32.)
(Joseph Fielding McConkie, Gospel
Symbolism [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1999], 151.)
Burnt offering – cut into
pieces, burn until nothing is left.
Abraham does not delay and
arises early to take Isaac to be sacrificed, he knows the Lord will keep His
promise about Abraham’s seed and will bring Isaac back to life. He even tells the 2 servants they will be
back.
The ram is symbolic of Christ;
it is killed in place of Isaac.
A New and Everlasting Covenant
(D&C 132)
ROBERT L. MILLET
President Brigham Young spoke
eloquently concerning the infinite scope of marriage:
The whole subject of the marriage
relation is not in my reach, nor in any other man's reach on this earth. It is
without beginning of days or end of years: it is a hard matter to reach. We can
tell some things with regard to it: it lays the foundation for worlds, for
angels, and for the Gods; for intelligent beings to be crowned with glory,
immortality and eternal lives. In fact, it is the thread which runs from the
beginning to the end of the holy Gospel of Salvation—of the Gospel of the Son
of God; it is from eternity to eternity. fn
The profound truths contained in
section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants (when read in conjunction with other
revelations, particularly section 131) constitute the scriptural authority for
the unique and exalted concept of marriage and family among the Latter-day
Saints. In a day when iniquity abounds and the love of many has begun to wax
cold (D&C 45:27), the revelations of God through his prophets provide an
anchor to the troubled soul. D&C 132 is a message which is both peaceful
and penetrating, a revelation which can bring order and organization to things
on earth, as well as point man toward his infinite possibilities among the
Gods.
Backgrounds
The fulness of the gospel is called
by the Lord his "new and everlasting covenant." In a revelation given
in October, 1830 Joseph Smith was told: "Verily I say unto you, blessed
are you for receiving mine everlasting covenant, even the fulness of my gospel,
sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life and be partakers
of the glories which are to be revealed in the last days, as it was written by
the prophets and apostles in days of old" (D&C 66:2; cf. 39:11; 45:9;
133:57). Elder Bruce R. McConkie has written:
The gospel is the everlasting
covenant because it is ordained by Him who is Everlasting and also because it
is everlastingly the same. In all past ages salvation was gained by adherence
to its terms and conditions, and that same compliance will bring the same
reward in all future ages. Each time this everlasting covenant is revealed it
is new to those of that dispensation. Hence the gospel is the new and
everlasting covenant. fn
Eternal Marriage, the ordinance by
which couples enter into the Patriarchal Order (D&C 131:1-2), is a
new and everlasting covenant within the fulness of the gospel. In our day it is
a crucial element in the restitution of all things (D&C 132:40, 45).
Eternal Marriage is the ordinance and covenant which leads to the consummate
blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ; it is that order of the priesthood
which, when put into effect, will bind ancestry to posterity and thus prevent
the earth from being utterly wasted at the time of the Savior's Second Coming
(D&C 2).
As the introductory material to
section 132 states, the basic doctrines of this revelation were received as
early as 1831, yet the full application and historical context reflect its 1843
recording. A statement from Joseph Noble, a close associate of Joseph Smith the
Prophet, is instructive. Noble observed that the revelation on eternal marriage
was given to Joseph "while he was engaged in the work of translation of the
Scriptures." fn The opening verse of the revelation suggests that Joseph
had inquired concerning Old Testament personalities and their participation in
plural marriage. The Prophet would have been involved in the study of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob—the book of Genesis—in 1830 and 1831. fn Elder B. H. Roberts
has given the following extended explanation:
There is indisputable evidence that
the revelation making known this marriage law was given to the Prophet as early
as 1831. In that year, and then intermittently up to 1833, the Prophet was
engaged in a revision of the English Bible text under the inspiration of God,
Sidney Rigdon in the main acting as his scribe. As he began his revision with
the Old Testament, he would be dealing with the age of the Patriarchs in 1831.
He was doubtless struck with the favor in which the Lord held the several Bible
Patriarchs of that period, notwithstanding they had a plurality of wives. What
more natural than that he should inquire of the Lord at that time, when his mind
must have been impressed with the fact—Why, O Lord, didst Thou justify Thy
servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; as also Moses, David and Solomon, in the
matter of their having many wives and concubines (see opening paragraph of the
Revelation)? In answer to that inquiry came the revelation, though not then
committed to writing. fn
The Prophet Joseph Smith shared many
of the details of the revelation with intimate associates, particularly when he
felt one could be trusted to value and preserve a sacred matter. Between 1831
and 1843 a number of the leaders of the Church were instructed concerning the
eternal marriage covenant (including the plurality of wives) and were told that
eventually many of the faithful would be called upon to comply with the will of
the Lord. In speaking to a gathering of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints in
explained the circumstances connected
with the coming forth of the revelation on plural marriage. Refuted the statement
and belief of those present that Brigham Young was the author of the
revelation; showed that Joseph Smith the Prophet had not only commenced the
practice of that principle himself, and taught it to others, before President
Young and the Twelve had returned from their mission in Europe, in 1841, but
that Joseph actually received revelations upon that principle as early as 1831.
fn
As one might expect, the doctrine of
plural marriage was not easily received, even by those who were otherwise
counted as faithful. President John Taylor, known to be one of the purest men
who ever lived, explained that "when this system [polygamy] was first
introduced among this people, it was one of the greatest crosses that was ever
taken up by any set of men since the world stood." fn Helen Mar Whitney,
one of Joseph Smith's plural wives, recalled that Joseph "said that the
practice of this principle would be the hardest trial the Saints would ever
have to test their faith." fn One of those for whom the principle was
particularly difficult was Emma Smith, wife of the Prophet. It appears,
therefore, that one of the major reasons for the formal recording of the
revelation in 1843 was to assist Emma to recognize the divine source of this
doctrine. William Clayton, private secretary to Joseph Smith, recorded the
following:
On the morning of the 12th of July,
1843, Joseph and Hyrum Smith came into the office of the upper story of the
"Brick-store," on the bank of the
The following entry from William
Clayton's diary for 12 July 1843 is interesting: "This A.M. I wrote a
Revelation consisting of 10 pages on the order of the priesthood, showing the
designs in Moses, Abraham, David and Solomon having many wives & concubines
&c. After it was wrote Prests. Joseph & Hyrum presented it and read it
to E[mma]. who said she did not believe a word of it and appeared very
rebellious." fn
D&C 132 is a revelation dealing
with celestial marriage. It also contains information and explanations concerning
the practice of plural marriage. One Latter-day Saint historian, Danel Bachman,
has suggested that section 132 consists largely of the Lord's answers to three
critical questions posed by the Prophet Joseph Smith. fn We will consider the
questions and answers more carefully as we come to them in the text of the
revelation.
The Lord's Justification (vv. 1-6)
The first question asked by the
Prophet Joseph was simply why the polygamous actions of notable Old Testament
prophet-leaders had received divine approval. Why was it, the Prophet wanted to
know, that prophets, patriarchs, and kings could have many wives and
concubines? fn In the Lord's response, Joseph was told to prepare his heart for
the instructions about to be given (v. 3); in this instance the explanation for
the ancient phenomenon was to be accompanied by a commandment to institute the
practice in modern times. Seeking further light and knowledge had led the
Prophet to further and greater obligations; much was about to be given, and much
would soon be required (cf. D&C 82:3). Salvation in the highest heaven was
at stake. Those who received this new and everlasting covenant (and thereafter
chose to abide by its terms and conditions) qualified themselves—through the
eternal principle of obedience (cf. D&C 130:20-21)—for the fulness of the
glory of the Father, "which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of
the seeds forever and ever" (v. 19). These are they who shall be enlarged,
that is, have an increase—spirit children into the eternities. They
enjoy eternal lives (D&C 131:1-4; 132:17, 24). Joseph had taught
these principles only two months earlier: "Except a man and his wife enter
into an everlasting covenant and be married for eternity, while in this
probation, by the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood, they will cease
to increase when they die; that is, they will not have any children after the
resurrection. But those who are married by the power and authority of the
priesthood in this life, and continue without committing the sin against the
Holy Ghost, will continue to increase and have children in the celestial
glory." fn
Salvation consists in the blessing of
eternal lives, the continuation of the family unit in eternity. Damnation is
the result of rejecting this new and everlasting covenant and is due largely to
pursuing the broad and wide ways of the world; the punishment is "the
deaths," the dissolution of the family unit beyond the grave (D&C
132:17, 24-25).
Marriage in the Lord: Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (vv. 7-27,
49-50)
The second question posed by the
Prophet Joseph Smith seems to be associated with the cryptic statement by Jesus
in response to a Sadduceean trap: "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures,
nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given
in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven" (Matt. 22:29-30; cf.
Luke 20:34-36). This expression, little understood in the days of the Prophet,
is repeatedly given today as scriptural evidence against the Latter-day Saint
doctrine of eternal marriage. Joseph Smith's question concerning its meaning
led to a modern revealed commentary upon the passage and pointed us to the
reality that Jesus Christ had taught the doctrine of eternal marriage during
his mortal ministry. fn
From section 132 we learn that THEY
who neither marry nor are given in marriage in eternity are they who choose not
to enter in by the strait gate and partake of the new and everlasting covenant
of marriage. Even persons who qualify in every other way for the glories of the
celestial kingdom, but who for selfish reasons reject opportunities for
celestial marriage, cannot attain unto the highest degree of the celestial
glory (cf. D&C 131:1-4). Such persons are "appointed angels in heaven,
which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of
a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory." The Lord
continued: Because they did not abide by his law, "they cannot be
enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved
condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of
God forever and ever" (D&C 132:16-17). In commenting upon the status
of angels, Joseph Smith said: "Gods have an ascendency over the angels,
who are ministering servants. In the resurrection, some are raised to be
angels, others are raised to become Gods." fn
The Holy Spirit of Promise is the
Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit promised to the faithful. The Holy Ghost is a
member of the Godhead with vital and important roles in the salvation of the
people of the earth. He is a revelator and a testator, the means by
which a witness of the truth is obtained. He is a sanctifier, the means
by which filth and dross are burned out of the human soul as though by fire. One
of the highest functions the Holy Ghost serves is to be a sealer, as the
Holy Spirit of Promise. In this capacity he searches the heart, certifies a
person is just, and thereafter seals an exaltation upon that person. That is to
say, to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise is to be sealed unto eternal
life. In commenting on v. 7 in section 132 (regarding all covenants, contracts,
bonds, etc. having the seal of the Holy Spirit of Promise), Elder Bruce R.
McConkie has written:
By way of illustration, this means
that baptism, partaking of the sacrament, administering to the sick, marriage,
and every covenant that man ever makes with the Lord . . . must be performed in
righteousness by and for people who are worthy to receive whatever blessing is
involved, otherwise whatever is done has no binding and sealing effect in
eternity.
Since "the Comforter knoweth all
things" (D&C 42:17), it follows that it is not possible "to lie
to the Holy Ghost" and thereby gain an unearned or undeserved blessing, as
Ananias and Sapphira found out to their sorrow (Acts 5:1-11). And so this
provision that all things must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, if they
are to have "efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from
the dead" (D&C 132:7), the Lord's system for dealing with absolute
impartiality with all men, and for giving all men exactly what they merit,
neither adding to nor diminishing from.
When the Holy Spirit of Promise
places his ratifying seal upon a baptism, or a marriage, or any covenant, except
that of having one's calling and election made sure, the seal is a conditional
approval or ratification; it is binding in eternity only in the event of
subsequent obedience to the terms and conditions of whatever covenant is
involved.
But when the ratifying seal of
approval is placed upon someone whose calling and election is thereby made
sure—because there are no more conditions to be met by the obedient person—this
act of being sealed up unto eternal life is of such transcendent import that of
itself it is called being sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, which means
that in this crowning sense, being so sealed is the same as having one's
calling and election made sure. fn
Without question, one of the most
misunderstood (and misquoted) verses of scripture is D&C 132:26. Some
members of the Church have wrested the scriptures to the point where they have
concluded that a temple marriage alone (which they equate with being sealed by
the Holy Spirit of Promise) will assure them of an exaltation, in spite of
"any sin of the new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of
blasphemies." When it is fully understood, however, that the marriage
ceremony performed in the House of the Lord—though performed by worthy
priesthood bearers granted sacred sealing powers—is a conditional ordinance, a
rite whose eventual blessings are contingent upon the faithfulness (in years to
come) of the participants, then v. 26 is recognized as being consistent with
other related principles—obedience, endurance to the end, and appropriate
reward. Verse 26 has reference to those who have received the new and
everlasting covenant of marriage, have complied with all its conditions, and
have passed the tests of mortality. These are they who, paraphrasing Joseph
Smith, have lived by every word of God, and are willing to serve the Lord at
all hazards. They have made their callings and elections sure to eternal life.
fn Persons who attain to this level of righteousness "are sealed up
against all manner of sin and blasphemy except the blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost and the shedding of innocent blood." fn
The Prophet Joseph Smith extended the
challenging invitation to the Saints: "I would exhort you to go on and
continue to call upon God until you make your calling and election sure for
yourselves, by obtaining this more sure word of prophecy, and wait patiently
for the promise until you obtain it." fn Latter-day Saints who are married
in the temple may thus press forward in the work of the Lord and with quiet
dignity and patient maturity seek to be worthy of the certain assurance of
eternal life before the end of their mortal lives. But should one not formally
receive the more sure word of prophecy in this life, he has the scriptural
promise that faithfully enduring to the end—keeping the covenants and
commandments from baptism to the end of his life (Mosiah 18:8-9) eventuates in
the promise of eternal life, whether that promise be received here or hereafter
(D&C 14:7; cf. 2 Ne. 31:20; Mosiah 5:15).
All men are subject to temptation and
mortal weaknesses and therefore commit some sin, even those whose callings and
elections have been made sure (see D&C 20:32-34; 124:124). Though the
disposition to commit grievous sin would certainly be less among such
individuals, yet the principles of repentance and forgiveness are as highly
treasured by these as by any of our Father's children. At the same time, where
much is given, much is expected and required. Joseph Smith taught: "If men
sin wilfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth, there
remaineth no more sacrifice for sin." fn In the words of a modern apostle:
"Suppose such persons become disaffected and the spirit of repentance
leaves them—which is a seldom and almost unheard of eventuality—still, what
then? The answer is—and the revelations and teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith so recite!—they must then pay the penalty of their own sins, for the
blood of Christ will not cleanse them." fn
When one is guilty of serious
transgression and loses the right to the Spirit and the protective blessings of
the priesthood, he is essentially "delivered unto the buffetings of
Satan" (D&C 132:26), such that "Lucifer is free to torment,
persecute, and afflict such a person without let or hindrance. When the bars are
down, the cuffs and curses of Satan, both in this world and in the world to
come, bring indescribable anguish typified by burning fire and brimstone"
fn (cf. D&C 78:12; 82:20-21; 104:9-10; 1 Cor. 5:1-5).
Once one has been sealed by the Holy
Spirit of Promise, he is in a position to either rise to exaltation or (through
rebellion and apostasy) fall to perdition. Verse 27 has specific reference to
those who have received the new and everlasting covenant of marriage and proven
faithful enough to have the final stamp of approval from the Holy Ghost. One
who has been sealed up unto eternal life and thereafter proves to be a total
enemy to the cause of righteousness is guilty of "shedding innocent
blood," the innocent blood of Christ, and assenting unto his death. fn Such
a vicious disposition would lead the transgressor to reject and crucify the Son
of God afresh (cf. Heb. 6:4-6).
Among the most beautiful and touching
verses in section 132 are vv. 49 and 50, wherein the Lord seals an exaltation
upon the head of Joseph the Seer. What a comfort to a troubled and weary mind
to hear such words as these: "Verily I seal upon you your exaltation, and
prepare a throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your
father." The reader of this revelation is also given a meaningful insight
into how to qualify for such a transcendent promise: "Behold I have seen
your sacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your sacrifices in
obedience to that which I have told you. Go, therefore, and I make a way for
your escape, as I accepted the offering of Abraham of his son Isaac." The
key element in obtaining the promise of exaltation is sacrifice. It was
to the School of the Prophets in the Winter of 1834-35 that Joseph had given
profound counsel: only through the sacrifice of all things could one come to
the point of faith or confidence wherein he could have an actual knowledge that
the course in life he was pursuing was according to the divine will.
"Those, then, who make the sacrifice," the Prophet had taught,
"will have the testimony that their course is pleasing in the sight of
God; and those who have this testimony will have faith to lay hold on eternal
life." fn That principle of truth was now realized and confirmed directly
upon the head of the one who had declared it less than ten years earlier; no
matter what the eventuality, nothing could separate the man of God from the
love of his God. fn
Marriage Among the Ancients (vv. 28-40)
As a type of follow-up on his first
question, Joseph Smith was given additional insights into requirements made of
individuals in ancient times. The Patriarch Abraham was instructed to take
Hagar, the servant of Sarah, as a second wife, in order to bring to pass the
promises made earlier to the Father of the Faithful—that his posterity would be
as numerous as the stars in the heavens or the sands upon the seashore (Gen.
22:17; Abr. 3:14). This modern revelation helps to clarify the Old Testament
story considerably (see Gen. 16), and shows that the decision to take an
additional wife was a God-inspired directive, and not simply a desperate move
by Sarah to insure posterity for her grieving husband. Joseph Smith was told
that because of Abraham's perfect obedience he was granted the privilege of
eternal increase. The Lord then said to Joseph: "This promise is yours
also, because ye are of Abraham, and the promise was made unto Abraham."
Then came the command to Joseph Smith, who had in 1836 received the keys
necessary to become a modern Faither of the Faithful (D&C 110:12): "Go
ye, therefore, and do the works of Abraham; enter ye into my law and ye shall
be saved" (D&C 124:31-32; cf. 124:58).
The Lord further explained that
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had attained godhood because of their implicit
obedience. More specifically, because they only took additional wives as those
wives were given by God, they have entered into their exaltation. David and
Solomon were also given directions (through the legal administrators of their
day) to take additional wives, and enjoyed the approbation of the heavens as they
stayed within the bounds the Lord had set. When they moved outside the divinely
given channel, however, and began to acquire wives and concubines for selfish
or lustful reasons (e.g., David in the case of Bathsheba, 2 Sam. 11; Solomon in
the case of taking "strange women" as wives, women who "turned
away his heart" from the things of righteousness, 1 Kgs. 11), they
offended God and forfeited the eternal rewards that might have been theirs.
Jacob in the Book of Mormon, speaking in behalf of the Lord, warned his people:
"Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which
thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord" Jacob 2:24). When both
scriptural passages are read together Jacob 2 and D&C 132), it becomes
clear that the Lord was condemning—in no uncertain terms—unauthorized
plural marriages, and not the principle of plurality of wives per se. Later in
that same chapter of Jacob the word of the Lord came: "For if I will,
saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me [through plural marriage] I will
command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things" (Jacob
2:30). Note the words of Joseph Smith as late as October of 1843: "[I]
Gave instructions to try those persons who were preaching, teaching, or
practicing the doctrine of plurality of wives; for, according to the law, I
hold the keys of this power in the last days; for there is never but one on
earth at a time on whom the power and its keys are conferred; and I have
constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time, unless the Lord
directs otherwise." fn
Concerning Adultery (vv. 41-48, 58-62)
Verse 41 of section 132 suggests the
third question that Joseph Smith must have asked of the Lord. In essence, the
question of the Prophet was: "Why were not such polygamous relationships
violations of the law of chastity? Why was this not considered adultery?"
The Lord's answer was simple and forthright, although considerable space was
devoted to the issue in the revelation: any action inspired, authorized, or
commanded of God is moral and good. More specifically, marriages approved of
the Almighty are recognized and acknowledged as sacred institutions, despite
the values or opinions of earth or hell. Joseph wrote in 1839: "How much
more dignified and noble are the thoughts of God, than the vain imaginations of
the human heart!" fn Verse 36 of this section sheds light on this
principle, the idea that whatever God requires is right: "Abraham was
commanded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not
kill. Abraham, however, did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for
righteousness." In a letter written to Nancy Rigdon in 1842, Joseph sought
to explain (albeit in veiled language) the appropriateness of plural marriage
when divinely sanctioned:
Happiness is the object and design of
our existence, and will be the end thereof if we pursue the path that leads to
it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, holiness, and keeping all the
commandments of God. But we cannot keep all the commandments without first knowing
them, and we cannot expect to know all, or more than we now know, unless we
comply with or keep those we have already received. That which is wrong under
one circumstance, may be and often is, right under another. God said thou shalt
not kill,—at another time he said thou shalt utterly destroy. This is the
principle on which the government of heaven is conducted—by revelation adapted
to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed. Whatever
God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason
thereof till long after the events transpire. If we seek first the
In section 132 Emma Smith was
encouraged to submit to the will of the Lord pertaining to her husband—to yield
her heart to the mind of God with regard to the matter of plural marriages.
Obedience would lead to glorious blessings; disobedience would lead to
damnation, for the covenant people are to abide by this "law of the
priesthood" whenever it is specifically given to them by new revelation
through the living prophet.
Summary
We may rest assured that whatever God
reveals is given for the benefit and fulfillment of his children—for their
happiness. Celestial or eternal marriage has been given to man, according to
the word of the Master, in order that man might "multiply and replenish
the earth, according to my commandment, and . . . fulfill the promise which was
given by my Father before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation
in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the
work of my Father continued, that he may be glorified" (D&C 132:63;
cf. v. 31). One of the most popular and important scriptural passages in the
Church is found in the Pearl of Great Price. The Lord explained to Moses the
purpose of creation and existence: "For behold, this is my work and my
glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses
1:39). That the Prophet understood early in his ministry that God's progression
and development was accomplished through the exaltation of his children, is
evident from an early recording of Moses 1:39. Note a variant rendering of this
statement in the Prophet's first draft of the Bible translation: "Behold,
this is my work TO my glory, to the immortality and eternal life of man."
fn In short, God's work—creating worlds without number, peopling them with his
spirit sons and daughters, and providing the truths of the gospel for their
edification and salvation (Moses 1:27-38)—not only benefits his children, but
further glorifies himself. In speaking by the inspiration of the Lord, Joseph
the Prophet explained the following in the famous King Follett Sermon on 7
April 1844:
What did Jesus do? Why; I do the
things I saw my Father do when worlds came rolling into existence. My Father
worked out his kingdom with fear and trembling, and I must do the same; and
when I get my kingdom, I shall present it to my Father, so that he may obtain
kingdom upon kingdom, and it will exalt him in glory. He will then take a
higher exaltation, and I will take his place, and thereby become exalted
myself. So that Jesus treads in the tracks of his Father, and inherits what God
did before; and God is thus glorified and exalted in the salvation and
exaltation of all his children. fn
Notes A New and Everlasting Covenants
1. JD 2:90.
2. Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed.
(Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), pp. 529-30.
3. The minutes of the Davis Stake
Conference, published under "Plural Marriage," in Millennial Star
16:454; cited by Danel Bachman in "New Light on an Old Hypothesis: The
Ohio Origins of the Revelation on Eternal Marriage," Journal of Mormon
History 5 (1978): 22.
4. Robert J. Matthews, A Plainer
Translation: Joseph Smith's Translation of the Bible, A History and Commentary (Provo:
Brigham Young University Press, 1975), pp. 96, 257.
5. HC 5:xxix-xxx.
6. Millennial Star, 9 December
1878, p. 788; cited in Matthews, A Plainer Translation, p. 258.
7. JD 11:221.
8. "Scenes and Incidents in
Nauvoo," Woman's Exponent 10 (1 November 1881): 83.
9. The Historical Record, pp.
225-26; cited in Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjodahl, Doctrine and Covenants
Commentary (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, reprint 1965), pp 820-21.
10. Cited in Lyndon W. Cook, The
Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith (Provo, Ut.: Seventy's Mission
Bookstore, 1981), p. 294.
11. See "New Light on an Old
Hypothesis," pp. 19-32.
12. A concubine was a wife who came
from a position of lower social standing, and who thus did not enjoy the same
status as one of higher birth. Under ancient practice, where caste systems were
much more common than at present, a man could take a slave or non-citizen as a
legal wife, but it was understood that she was of a lower status. This was the
case with Sarah (the first wife) and Hagar (the servant who became a
concubine).
13. TPJS, pp. 300-1.
14. See Bruce R. McConkie,
Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1966-73), 1:604-6; The Mortal Messiah, 4 books (Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book Co., 1979-81), 3:374-81.
15. TPJS, p. 312.
16. Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, 3:335-36.
17. TPJS, pp. 149-50.
18. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine,
p. 110.
19. TPJS, p. 299.
20. Ibid., p. 128.
21. Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, 3:343.
22. Mormon Doctrine, p. 108.
23. McConkie, Doctrinal New
Testament Commentary, 3:161, 345; The Mortal Messiah, 2:216.
24. Lectures on Faith, Lec. #6, Par.
10.
25. For detail concerning Joseph
Smith receiving the fulness of the priesthood, see Ronald K. Esplin,
"Joseph, Brigham, and the Twelve: A Succession of Continuity," Brigham
Young University Studies 21.3 (Summer 1981): 30141; Andrew F. Ehat,
"Joseph Smith's Introduction of Temple Ordinances and the 1844 Mormon
Succession Question," Unpublished Master's Thesis, Brigham Young
University, 1982.
26. TPJS, p, 324.
27. Ibid., p. 137
28. From Dean C. Jessee, The
Personal Writings of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1984),
pp. 507-9; see also HC 5:134-36; TPJS, pp. 255-57.
29. See Old Testament Manuscript #2
in Matthews, A Plainer Translation, p. 222, emphasis added.
30. TPJS, pp. 347-48.
(Robert L. Millet and Kent
P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine and Covenants
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 512.)
Book of Joshua
July 20, 2006
“If we are righteous, God
will fight our battles for us or He will not let our enemies come against us”
The False Gods We
Worship
President Spencer W. Kimball
Ensign, June 1976, pp. 3-6
I have heard that the sense
most closely associated with memory is the sense of smell. If this is true,
then perhaps it explains the many pleasing feelings that overtake me these
mornings when I am able to step outdoors for a few moments and breathe in the
warm and comfortable aromas that I have come to associate over the years with
the soil and vegetation of this good earth.
Now and then, when the
moment is right, some particular scent--perhaps only the green grass, or the
smell of sage brought from a distance by a breeze--will take me back to the
days of my youth in
We worked with the land and
the cattle in all kinds of weather, and when we traveled it was on horseback or
in open wagons or carriages, mostly. I used to run like the wind with my
brothers and sisters through the orchards, down the dusty lanes, past rows of
corn, red tomatoes, onions, squash. Because of this, I suppose it is natural to
think that in those days we were closer to elemental life.
Some time ago I chanced to
walk outdoors when the dark and massive clouds of an early afternoon
thunderstorm were gathering; and as the large raindrops began to drum the dusty
soil with increasing rapidity, I recalled the occasional summer afternoons when
I was a boy when the tremendous thunderheads would gather over the hills and
bring welcome rain to the thirsty soil of the valley floor. We children would
run for the shed, and while the lightning danced about we would sit and watch,
transfixed, marveling at the ever-increasing power of the pounding rainfall.
Afterward, the air would be clean and cool and filled with the sweet smells of
the soil, the trees, and the plants of the garden.
There were evenings those
many years ago, at about sunset, when I would walk in with the cows. Stopping
by a tired old fence post, I would sometimes just stand silently in the mellow
light and the fragrance of sunflowers and ask myself, "If you were going
to create a world, what would it be like?" Now with a little thought the
answer seems so natural: "Just like this one."
So on this day while I stood
watching the thunderstorm, I felt--and I feel now--that this is a marvelous
earth on which we find ourselves: and when I thought of our preparations for
the United States Bicentennial celebration I felt a deep gratitude to the Lord
for the choice land and the people and institutions of
Nevertheless, on this
occasion of so many pleasant memories another impression assailed my thoughts.
The dark and threatening clouds that hung so low over the valley seemed to
force my mind back to a theme that the Brethren have concerned themselves with
for many years now--indeed a theme that has often occupied the attention of the
Lord's chosen prophets since the world began. I am speaking of the general
state of wickedness in which we seem to find the world in these perilous yet
crucially momentous days; and thinking of this, I am reminded of the general
principle that where much is given, much is expected. (See Luke 12:48.)
The Lord gave us a choice
world and expects [page 4] righteousness and obedience to his commandments in
return. But when I review the performance of this people in comparison with
what is expected, I am appalled and frightened. Iniquity seems to abound. The
Destroyer seems to be taking full advantage of the time remaining to him in
this, the great day of his power. Evil seems about to engulf us like a great
wave, and we feel that truly we are living in conditions similar to those in
the days of Noah before the Flood.
I have traveled much in
various assignments over the years, and when I pass through the lovely
countryside or fly over the vast and beautiful expanses of our globe, I compare
these beauties with many of the dark and miserable practices of men, and I have
the feeling that the good earth can hardly bear our presence upon it. I recall
the occasion when Enoch heard the earth mourn, saying, "Wo, wo is me, the
mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my
children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone
forth out of me?" (Moses 7:48.)
The Brethren constantly cry
out against that which is intolerable in the sight of the Lord: against
pollution of mind, body, and our surroundings; against vulgarity, stealing,
lying, pride, and blasphemy; against fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and
all other abuses of the sacred power to create; against murder and all that is
like unto it; against all manner of desecration.
That such a cry should be
necessary among a people so blessed is amazing to me. And that such things
should be found even among the Saints to some degree is scarcely believable,
for these are a people who are in possession of many gifts of the Spirit, who
have knowledge that puts the eternities into perspective, who have been shown
the way to eternal life.
Sadly, however, we find that
to be shown the way is not necessarily to walk in it, and many have not been
able to continue in faith. These have submitted themselves in one degree or
another to the enticings of Satan and his servants and joined with those of
"the world" in lives of ever-deepening idolatry.
I use the word idolatry
intentionally. As I study ancient scripture, I am more and more convinced that
there is significance in the fact that the commandment "Thou shalt have no
other gods before me" is the first of the Ten Commandments.
Few men have ever knowingly
and deliberately chosen to reject God and his blessings. Rather, we learn from
the scriptures that because the exercise of faith has always appeared to be
more difficult than relying on things more immediately at hand, carnal man has
tended to transfer his trust in God to material things. Therefore, in all ages
when men have fallen under the power of Satan and lost the faith, they have put
in its place a hope in the "arm of flesh" and in "gods of
silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor
know" (Dan. 5:23)--that is, in idols. This I find to be a dominant theme
in the Old Testament. Whatever thing a man sets his heart and his trust in most
is his god; and if his god doesn't also happen to be the true and living God of
Israel, that man is laboring in idolatry.
It is my firm belief that
when we read these scriptures and try to "liken them unto [our]selves,"
as Nephi suggested (1 Ne. 19:24), we will see many parallels between the
ancient worship of graven images and behavioral patterns in our very own
experience.
The Lord has blessed us as a
people with a prosperity unequaled in times past. The resources that have been
placed in our power are good, and necessary to our work here on the earth. But
I am afraid that many of us have been surfeited with flocks and herds and acres
and barns and wealth and have begun to worship them as false gods, and they
have power over us. Do we have more of these good things than our faith can
stand? Many people spend most of their time working in the service of a
self-image that includes sufficient money, stocks, bonds, investment
portfolios, property, credit cards, furnishings, automobiles, and the like to
guarantee carnal security throughout, it is hoped, a long and happy life.
Forgotten is the fact that our assignment is to use these many resources in our
families and quorums to build up the
As the Lord himself said in
our day, "They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every
man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own God, whose image is
in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which
waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall
fall." (D&C 1:16; italics added.)
One man I know of was called
to a position of service in the Church, but he felt that he couldn't accept
because his investments required more attention and more of his time than he
could spare for the Lord's work. He left the service of the Lord in search of
Mammon, and he is a millionaire today.
But I recently learned an
interesting fact: If a man owns a million dollars worth of gold at today's
prices, he possesses approximately one 27-billionth of all the gold that is
present in the earth's thin crust alone. This is an amount so small in
proportion as to be inconceivable to the mind of man. But there is more to
this: The Lord who created and has power over all the earth created many other
earths as well, even "worlds without number" (Moses 1:33); and when
this man received the oath and covenant of the priesthood (D&C 84:33-44),
he received a promise from the Lord of "all that my Father hath"
(D&C 84:38). To set aside all these great promises in favor of a chest of
gold and a sense of carnal security is a mistake in perspective of colossal
proportions. To think that he has settled for so little is a saddening and
pitiful prospect indeed; the souls of men are far more precious than this.
One young man, when called
on a mission, replied that he didn't have much talent for that kind of thing.
What he was good at was keeping his powerful new automobile in top condition.
He enjoyed the sense of power and acceleration, and when he was driving, the continual
motion gave him the illusion that he was really getting somewhere.
All along, his father had
been content with saying, "He likes to do things with his hands. That's
good enough for him."
Good enough for a son of
God? This young man didn't realize that the power of his automobile is
infinitesimally small in comparison with the power of the sea, or of the sun;
and there are many suns, all controlled by law and by priesthood, ultimately--a
priesthood power that he could have been developing in the service of the Lord.
He settled for a pitiful god, a composite of steel and rubber and shiny chrome.
An older couple retired from
the world of work and also, in effect, from the Church. They purchased a pickup
truck and camper and, separating themselves from all obligations, set out to
see the world and simply enjoy what little they had accumulated the rest of
their days. They had no time for the temple, were too busy for genealogical
research and for missionary service. He lost contact with his high priests
quorum and was not home enough to work on his personal history. Their
experience and leadership were sorely needed in their branch, but, unable to
"endure to the end," they were not available.
I am reminded of an article
I read some years ago about a group of men who had gone to the jungles to
capture monkeys. They tried a number of different things to catch the monkeys,
including nets. But finding that the nets could injure such small creatures,
they finally came upon an ingenious solution. They built a large number of
small boxes, and in the top of each they bored a hole just large enough for a
monkey to get his hand into. They then set these boxes out under the trees and
in each one they put a nut that the monkeys were particularly fond of.
When the men left, the
monkeys began to come down from the trees and examine the boxes. Finding that
there were nuts to be had, they reached into the boxes to get them. But when a
monkey would try to withdraw his hand with the nut, he could not get his hand
out of the box because his little fist, with the nut inside, was now too large.
At about this time, the men
would come out of the underbrush and converge on the monkeys. And here is the
curious thing: When the monkeys saw the men coming, they would shriek and scramble
about with the thought of escaping; but as easy as it would have been, they
would not let go of the nut so that they could withdraw their hands from the
boxes and thus escape. The men captured them easily.
And so it often seems to be
with people, having such a firm grasp on things of the world--that which is
telestial--that no amount of urging and no [page 6] degree of emergency can
persuade them to let go in favor of that which is celestial. Satan gets them in
his grip easily. If we insist on spending all our time and resources building
up for ourselves a worldly kingdom, that is exactly what we will inherit.
In spite of our delight in
defining ourselves as modern, and our tendency to think we possess a
sophistication that no people in the past ever had--in spite of these things,
we are, on the whole, an idolatrous people--a condition most repugnant to the
Lord.
We are a warlike people,
easily distracted from our assignment of preparing for the coming of the Lord.
When enemies rise up, we commit vast resources to the fabrication of gods of
stone and steel--ships, planes, missiles, fortifications--and depend on them
for protection and deliverance. When threatened, we become antienemy instead of
pro-kingdom of God; we train a man in the art of war and call him a patriot,
thus, in the manner of Satan's counterfeit of true patriotism, perverting the
Savior's teaching:
"Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them
which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
"That ye may be the
children of your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 5:44-45.)
We forget that if we are
righteous the Lord will either not suffer our enemies to come upon us--and this
is the special promise to the inhabitants of the land of the Americas (see 2
Ne. 1:7)--or he will fight our battles for us (Ex. 14:14; D&C 98:37, to
name only two references of many). This he is able to do, for as he said at the
time of his betrayal, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father,
and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matt.
26:53.) We can imagine what fearsome soldiers they would be. King Jehoshaphat
and his people were delivered by such a troop (see 2 Chr. 20), and when
Elisha's life was threatened, he comforted his servant by saying, "Fear
not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2
Kgs. 6:16). The Lord then opened the eyes of the servant, "And he saw:
and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about
Elisha." (2 Kgs. 6:17.)
Enoch, too, was a man of
great faith who would not be distracted from his duties by the enemy: "And
so great was the faith of Enoch, that he led the people of God, and their
enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the
earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the
rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was
heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was
the word of Enoch." (Moses 7:13.)
What are we to fear when the
Lord is with us? Can we not take the Lord at his word and exercise a particle
of faith in him? Our assignment is affirmative: to forsake the things of the
world as ends in themselves; to leave off idolatry and press forward in faith;
to carry the gospel to our enemies, that they might no longer be our enemies.
We must leave off the
worship of modern-day idols and a reliance on the "arm of flesh," for
the Lord has said to all the world in our day, "I will not spare any that
remain in
When Peter preached such a
message as this to the people on the day of Pentecost, many of them "were
pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles,
Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37.)
And Peter answered:
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins, and … receive the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38.)
As we near the year 2,000,
our message is the same as that which Peter gave. And further, that which the
Lord himself gave "unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may
hear:
"Prepare ye, prepare ye
for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh." (D&C 1:11-12.)
We believe that the way for
each person and each family to prepare as the Lord has directed is to begin to
exercise greater faith, to repent, and to enter into the work of his kingdom on
earth, which is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It may seem a
little difficult at first, but when a person begins to catch a vision of the
true work, when he begins to see something of eternity in its true perspective,
the blessings begin to far outweigh the cost of leaving "the world"
behind.
Herein lies the only true
happiness, and therefore we invite and welcome all men, everywhere, to join in
this work. For those who are determined to serve the Lord at all costs, this is
the way to eternal life. All else is but a means to that end.
Captain of the Lords Hosts
= Jehovah leads the army on the other side.
The enemy’s culture needs
to be destroyed. If the culture remains
their wickedness still thrives so the whole civilization needed to be
destroyed. Destroy the cancer that kills,
which would spread toward
Zion in the Midst of Babylon
Elder David R. Stone
Of the
Seventy
We do not need to adopt
the standards, the mores, and the morals of
Last summer, my wife and I
had the opportunity to travel to
When I heard that, I thought
how useful it would be to have an early-warning system which would tell us
about the approach of evil and allow us to be prepared for it. Evil is coming
toward us, whether or not we have an early-warning system.
On a later occasion, my wife
and I were driving cross-country one night and were approaching a great city.
As we came over the hills and saw the bright lights on the horizon, I nudged my
wife awake and said, "Behold the city of
Of course, there is no
particular city today which personifies
However, that sensuality,
corruption, and decadence, and the worshipping of false gods are to be seen in
many cities, great and small, scattered across the globe. As the Lord has said:
"They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man
walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in
the likeness of the world" (D&C 1:16).
Too many of the people of
the world have come to resemble the
One of the greatest
challenges we will face is to be able to live in that world but somehow not be
of that world. We have to create
"
And with the encroachment of
During the days of ancient
How could
What an insidious thing is
this culture amidst which we live. It permeates our environment, and we think
we are being reasonable and logical when, all too often, we have been molded by
the ethos, what the Germans call the zeitgeist, or the culture of our place and
time.
Because my wife and I have
had the opportunity to live in 10 different countries, we have seen the effect
of the ethos on behavior. Customs which are perfectly acceptable in one culture
are viewed as unacceptable in another; language which is polite in some places
is viewed as abhorrent in others. People in every culture move within a cocoon
of self-satisfied self-deception, fully convinced that the way they see things
is the way things really are.
Our culture tends to
determine what foods we like, how we dress, what constitutes polite behavior,
what sports we should follow, what our taste in music should be, the importance
of education, and our attitudes toward honesty. It also influences men as to
the importance of recreation or religion, influences women about the priority
of career or childbearing, and has a powerful effect on how we approach
procreation and moral issues. All too often, we are like puppets on a string,
as our culture determines what is "cool."
There is, of course, a
zeitgeist to which we should pay attention, and that is the ethos of the Lord,
the culture of the people of God. As Peter states it, "But ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye
should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into
his marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9).
It is the ethos of those who
keep the Lord's commandments, walk in His ways, and "live by every word
that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God" (D&C 84:44). If that makes us peculiar, so
be it.
My involvement with the
building of the
The answer was in the
construction of the temple. The temple was built within the walls of an
existing building, and the inner walls of the temple were connected to the
outer walls at only a very few junction points. That is how the temple (
There may be a lesson here
for us. We can create the real
When, about 600 years B.C.,
Nebuchadnezzar came from
Among them were Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They were to be the favored ones among the
young people brought to
Let us clearly understand
the pressures that the four young men were under. They had been carried away as
captives by a conquering power and were in the household of a king who held the
power of life or death over them. And yet Daniel and his brothers refused to do
that which they believed to be wrong, however much the Babylonian culture
believed it to be right. And for that fidelity and courage, the Lord blessed
them and "gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom" (Daniel 1:17).
Seduced by our culture, we
often hardly recognize our idolatry, as our strings are pulled by that which is
popular in the Babylonian world. Indeed, as the poet Wordsworth said: "The
world is too much with us" ("The World Is Too Much with Us; Late and
Soon," in The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth [1924],
353).
In his first epistle, John
writes:
"I have written unto
you . . . because ye are strong, and the word of God
abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
"Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world" (1 John 2:14–15).
We do not need to adopt the
standards, the mores, and the morals of
We can live as a
We have always been
entranced by tales of courage of those who faced fearsome odds and overcame.
Courage is the basis and foundation for all of our other virtues; the lack of
courage diminishes every other virtue that we have. If we are to have
Have you ever imagined that,
when it came to the test, you would perform some act of bravery? I know I did,
as a boy. I imagined that someone was in peril and that, at the risk of my own
life, I saved him. Or in some dangerous confrontation with a fearsome opponent,
I had the courage to overcome. Such are our youthful imaginations!
Almost 70 years of life have
taught me that those heroic opportunities are few and far between, if they come
at all.
But the opportunities to
stand for that which is right—when the pressures are subtle and when even our
friends are encouraging us to give in to the idolatry of the times—those come
along far more frequently. No photographer is there to record the heroism, no
journalist will splash it across the newspaper's front page. Just in the quiet
contemplation of our conscience, we will know that we faced the test of
courage:
Make no mistake about it:
much of
If
Wherever we are, whatever
city we may live in, we can build our own
We do not need to become as
puppets in the hands of the culture of the place and time. We can be courageous
and can walk in the Lord's paths and follow His footsteps. And if we do, we
will be called
I pray that we will be
strengthened to resist the onslaught of
We seek
In the name of Jesus Christ,
amen.
The Persistence of the
Natural Man
___________________________________________
Though it
is true that that natural man can be "put off" and men become "a
saint" -- or a spiritual man (Mosiah 3:19) -- this does not mean that the
natural man or the flesh is "dead". We must be careful to
recognize the persistence of the natural man. Note the following
statements:
Neal A. Maxwell
- Christ’s Atonement, of course, is for super sinners and
the midrange sinners and then good people who make a lot of mistakes but
are not wicked! Each of these acts of drawing upon the Atonement requires
us to put off the natural man. I am persuaded that so much of taking
up the cross daily –- daily, not quarterly or semiannually –-
consists of putting off the natural man (see Mosiah 3:19). Doing this
involves some arduous isometrics -– the old man working against the
new spiritual man. That natural man, as you know, will not go quietly or
easily. And even when he is put off, he has a way of hanging around,
hoping to throw his saddle on us once again. (The Holy Ghost: Glorifying
Christ, Ensign, July 2002, p. 56)
- As you pursue your discipleship and observe the human
scene, do not be surprised or unnerved by the natural man’s relentless
push for preeminence and power. (“The Pathway of Discipleship,” Ensign,
Sept. 1998, p. 13)
- Nor does the natural man or the natural woman go
away quietly or easily. Hence the most grinding form of calisthenics we
will ever know involves the individual isometrics required to put off the
natural man. Time and again, the new self is pitted against the stubborn
old self. Sometimes, just when at last we think the job is done, the old self
reminds us that he or she has not fully departed yet. (“Becoming a
Disciple,” Ensign, June 1996, p. 15)
Brigham Young
- As I have told you, your spirit is continually
warring with the flesh; your spirit dictates one way, your flesh suggests
another, and this brings on the combat. (Journal of Discourses,
3:212)
- When we receive the Gospel, a warfare commences
immediately; Paul says, "for I delight in the law of God, after the
inward man," but I see another law in my members warring against the
law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is
in my members." We have to fight continually, as it were, sword in
hand to make the spirit master of the tabernacle, or the flesh subject to
the law of the spirit. If this warfare is not diligently prosecuted, then
the law of sin prevails, and in consequence of this some apostatize from
the truth when crossing the plains, learn to swear instead of to pray,
become high-minded and high tempered instead of learning to be patient and
humble, and when they arrive in these vallies they feel so self-sufficient
that they consider themselves the only ones that are really right; they
are filled with darkness, the authority of the Spirit is not listened to,
and the law of sin and death is the ruling power in their tabernacles. (Journal
of Discourses, 9:287-288)
1st Death – The
Fall of Adam the natural man – Overcome by the Atonement, all receive a
resurrected body, the everlasting gift from Jesus Christ.
2nd Death –
Personal sin after the age of accountability – Overcome by: Faith, Repent,
Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost (overcomes 2nd death in this life)
Teachings Concerning
Spiritual Death
What is Spiritual Death
Joseph Fielding Smith
Spiritual death is defined
as a state of spiritual alienation from God--the eternal separation from the
Supreme Being; condemnation to everlasting punishment is also called the second
death. In other words, the second or spiritual death, which is the final
judgment passed upon the wicked, is the same as the first death, banishment
from the presence of the Lord. (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:217)
Bruce R. McConkie
Spiritual death is to be
cast out of the presence of the Lord, to die as to the things of righteousness,
to die as to the things of the Spirit. Spirit beings as such never die in the
sense of annihilation or in the sense that their spirit bodies are
disorganized; rather, they continue to live to all eternity either as spirits
or as resurrected personages. (Mormon Doctrine, p. 756)
Dallin H. Oaks
Jesus Christ is also the
life of the world because he has atoned for the sins of the world. By yielding
to temptation, Adam and Eve were [page 65] "cut off from the presence of
the Lord" (Hel. 14:16). In the scriptures this separation is called
spiritual death (see Hel. 14:16; D&C 29:41). ["The Light and Life of
the World," Ensign, Nov. 1987, pp. 64-65]
Russell M. Nelson
But there is another type of
separation known in scripture as spiritual death. (See 2 Ne. 9:12; Alma 12:16;
Alma 42:9; Hel. 14:16, 18.) It "is defined as a state of spiritual
alienation from God." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation,
comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-56, 2:217.)
Thus, one can be very much alive physically but dead spiritually.
Spiritual death is more
likely when goals are unbalanced toward things physical. Paul explained this
concept to the Romans: "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if
ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."
(Rom. 8:13.)
If physical death should
strike before moral wrongs have been made right, opportunity for repentance
will have been forfeited. Thus, "the [real] sting of death is sin."
(1 Cor. 15:56.)
Even the Savior cannot save
us in our sins. He will redeem us from our sins, but only upon condition of our
repentance. We are responsible for our own spiritual survival or death. (See
Joseph F. Smith
- We are called mortal beings because in us are
seeds of death, but in reality we are immortal beings, because there is
also within us the germ of eternal life. Man is a dual being, composed of
the spirit which gives life, force, intelligence and capacity to man, and
the body which is the tenement of the spirit and is suited to its form,
adapted to its necessities, and acts in harmony with it, and to its utmost
capacity yields obedience to the will of the spirit. The two combined
constitute the soul. The body is dependent upon the spirit, and the spirit
during its natural occupancy of the body is subject to the laws which
apply to and govern it in the mortal state. In this natural body are the
seeds of weakness and decay, which, when fully ripened or untimely plucked
up, in the language of scripture, is called "the temporal
death." The spirit is also subject to what is termed in the
scriptures and revelations from God, "spiritual death." The same
as that which befell our first parents, when, through disobedience and
transgression, they became subject to the will of Satan, and were thrust
out from the presence of the Lord and became spiritually dead, which the
Lord says, "is the first death, even that same death which is the
last death, which is spiritual, which shall be pronounced upon the wicked
when I shall say, Depart, ye cursed!" And the Lord further says,
"But behold, I say unto you, that I the Lord God gave unto Adam and
unto his seed that they should not die as to the temporal death, until I
the Lord God should send forth angels to declare unto them repentance and
redemption (from the first death), through faith on the name of mine Only
Begotten Son. And thus did I, the Lord God, appoint unto man the days of
his probation; that by his natural death he might be raised in immortality
unto eternal life, even as many as would believe; and they that believe
not, unto eternal damnation, for they cannot be redeemed from their
spiritual fall, because they repent not." From the natural death,
that is the death of the body, and also from the first death, "which
is spiritual," there is redemption through belief on the name of the
Only Begotten Son, in connection with repentance and obedience to the
ordinances of the gospel, declared by holy angels, for if one
"believe," he must also obey; but from the "second death,"
even that same death which is the first death, "which is
spiritual," and from which man may be redeemed through faith and
obedience, and which will again be pronounced upon the wicked when God
shall say, "depart, ye cursed," there is no redemption, so far
as light on this matter has been revealed. (See Doc. and Cov. 29:41-44.)
It is
written that "all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto
men" who receive me and repent; "but the blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost, it shall not be forgiven unto men." If men will not repent and come
unto Christ, through the ordinances of his gospel, they cannot be redeemed from
their spiritual fall, but must remain forever subject to the will of Satan and
the consequent spiritual darkness or death unto which our first parents fell,
subjecting all their posterity thereto, and from which none can be redeemed but
by belief or faith on the name of the Only Begotten Son and obedience to the
laws of God. But, thanks be to the eternal Father, through the merciful provisions
of the gospel, all mankind will have the opportunity of escape, or deliverance,
from this spiritual death, either in time or in eternity, for not until they
are freed from the first can they become subject unto the second death, still
if they repent not "they cannot be redeemed from their spiritual
fall," and will continue subject to the will of Satan, the first spiritual
death, so long as "they repent not, and thereby reject Christ and his
gospel;" but what of those who do believe, repent of their sins, obey the
gospel, enter into its covenants, receive the keys of the Priesthood and the
knowledge of the truth by revelation and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and
afterwards turn away wholly from that light and knowledge? They "become a
law unto themselves," and "will to abide in sin;" of such it is
written, "whoso breaketh this covenant, after he hath received it, and
altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness in this world nor in
the world to come." And again, "Thus saith the Lord, concerning all
those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered
themselves, through the power of the devil, to be overcome, and to deny the
truth and defy my power--they are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I
say that it had been better for them never to have been born, for they are
vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his
angels in eternity; concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this
world nor in the world to come, having denied the Holy Spirit after having
received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father--having
crucified him unto themselves, and put him to an open shame."--Doc. and
Cov. 76:31-35.
Now, there is a difference
between this class and those who simply repent not and reject the gospel in the
flesh. Of these latter it is written, "they shall be brought forth by the
resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the Lamb,"
and "shall be redeemed in the due time of the Lord after the sufferings of
his wrath." But of the others it is said, "they shall not be
redeemed," for "they are the only ones on whom the second death shall
have any power." The others, never having been redeemed from the first,
cannot be doomed to the second death, or in other words cannot be made to
suffer eternally the wrath of God, without hope of redemption through
repentance, but must continue to suffer the first death until they repent, and
are redeemed therefrom through the power of the atonement and the gospel of
salvation, thereby being brought to the possession of all the keys and
blessings to which they will be capable of attaining or to which they may be
entitled, through the mercy, justice and power of the everlasting God; or, on
the other hand, forever remain bound in the chains of spiritual darkness,
bondage and banishment from his presence, kingdom and glory. The "temporal
death" is one thing, and the "spiritual death" is another thing.
The body may be dissolved and become extinct as an organism, although the
elements of which it is composed are indestructible or eternal, but I hold it
as self-evident that the spiritual organism is an eternal, immortal being,
destined to enjoy eternal happiness and a fulness of joy, or suffer the wrath
of God, and misery--a just condemnation, eternally. Adam became spiritually
dead, yet he lived to endure it until freed therefrom by the power of the
atonement, through repentance, etc. Those upon whom the second death shall fall
will live to suffer and endure it, but without hope of redemption. The death of
the body, or natural death, is but a temporary circumstance to which all were
subjected through the fall, and from which all will be restored or resurrected
by the power of God, through the atonement of Christ. (Gospel Doctrine,
pp.14-16)
- But I want to speak a word or two in relation to
another death, which is a more terrible death than that of the body. When
Adam, our first parent, partook of the forbidden fruit, transgressed the
law of God, and became subject unto Satan, he was banished from the
presence of God, and was thrust out into outer spiritual darkness. This
was the first death. Yet living, he was dead--dead to God, dead to light
and truth, dead spiritually; cast out from the presence of God;
communication between the Father and the Son was cut off. He was as
absolutely thrust out from the presence of God as was Satan and the hosts
that followed him. That was spiritual death. But the Lord said that he
would not suffer Adam nor his posterity to come to the temporal death
until they should have the means by which they might be redeemed from the
first death, which is spiritual. Therefore angels were sent unto Adam, who
taught him the gospel, and revealed to him the principle by which he could
be redeemed from the first death, and be brought back from banishment and
outer darkness into the marvelous light of the gospel. He was taught
faith, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins, in the name of
Jesus Christ, who should come in the meridian of time and take away the
sin of the world, and was thus given a chance to be redeemed from the
spiritual death before he should die the temporal death.
Now, all the world today, I am sorry to say, with the
exception of a handful of people who have obeyed the new and everlasting
covenant, are suffering this spiritual death. They are cast out from the
presence of God. They are without God, without gospel truth, and without the
power of redemption; for they know not God nor his gospel. In order that they
may be redeemed and saved from the spiritual death which has spread over the
world like a pall, they must repent of their sins, and be baptized by one
having authority, for the remission of their sins, that they may be born of
God. That is why we want these young men to go out into the world to preach the
gospel. While they themselves understand but little, perhaps, the germ of life
is in them. They have been born again, they have received the gift of the Holy
Ghost, and they have the authority of the holy Priesthood, by which they can
administer in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Though they may know but little in the beginning, they can learn, and as they
learn they can preach, and as they have opportunity they can baptize for the
remission of sins. Therefore, we want them to do their duty at home. We want
them above all things to be pure in heart. (Gospel Doctrine, pp.432-433)
Atonement Overcomes Spiritual Death
Bruce R. McConkie
To atone is to ransom,
reconcile, expiate, redeem, reclaim, absolve, propitiate, make amends, pay the
penalty. Thus the atonement of Christ is designed to ransom men from the
effects of the fall of Adam in that both spiritual and temporal death are
conquered; their lasting effect is nullified. The spiritual death of the fall
is replaced by the spiritual life of the atonement, in that all who believe and
obey the gospel law gain spiritual or eternal life -- life in the presence of
God where those who enjoy it are alive to things of righteousness or things of
the Spirit. (Mormon Doctrine, p.62)
(2 Nephi 2:26-29.)
26 And the Messiah cometh
in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall.
And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever,
knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it
be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the
commandments which God hath given.
27 Wherefore, men are free
according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto
man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great
Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the
captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be
miserable like unto himself.
28 And now, my sons, I
would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great
commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life,
according to the will of his Holy Spirit;
29 And not choose eternal
death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which
giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell,
that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.
Our spirit – directed by
the Light of Christ and the Gift of the Holy Ghost
Keeping the Sabbath day
holy, prayer, studying scriptures are some of the ways of keeping our spirits
strong to fight off the influences of Satan.
Satan’s Influence – Media
and the worldly environment around us..
There is a war between our
spirit and the natural man which allows agency to take place. Our body is very powerful and can be
influenced by its environment (culture)
Brigham Young
Many are disposed through
their own wickedness "to do as I damned please," and they are damned.
(Discourses of Brigham Young, p.65)
Purpose of Life is to
Learn to Choose
Boyd K. Packer
We come into mortal life
to receive a body and to be tested, to learn to choose. ("The
Choice," Ensign, Nov. 1980, p. 21)
We Can Never Make A
Choice Independent of Good or Evil Influences
Henry B. Eyring
They may mock and deride,
as did a man named Korihor, with these words recorded in the Book of Mormon:
"And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish traditions of your
fathers, and according to your own desires; and ye keep them down, even as it
were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands,
that they durst not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their
rights and privileges" (Alma 30:27).
Korihor was arguing, as men
and women have falsely argued from the beginning of time, that to take counsel
from the servants of God is to surrender God-given rights of independence. But
the argument is false because it misrepresents reality. When we reject the
counsel which comes from God, we do not choose to be independent of outside
influence. We choose another influence. We reject the protection of a perfectly
loving, all-powerful, all-knowing Father in Heaven, whose whole purpose, as
that of His Beloved Son, is to give us eternal life, to give us all that He
has, and to bring us home again in families to the arms of His love. In
rejecting His counsel, we choose the influence of another power, whose purpose
is to make us miserable and whose motive is hatred. We have moral agency as a
gift of God. Rather than the right to choose to be free of influence, it is the
inalienable right to submit ourselves to whichever of those powers we choose.
("Finding Safety in Counsel," Ensign, May 1997, p. 25)
The Choice Between Good
and Evil is the Most Important We Will Ever Make
Marion G. Romney
Let us never forget ...
That we are here subject to opposing influences--the influence of Satan and his
followers on the one hand, and the influence of Christ and his followers on the
other hand;
That as we are being
acted upon by these two influences, we are free "to choose liberty and
eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and
death, according to the captivity and power of the devil." (2 Ne. 2:27.)
It is important that we
keep in mind that the choices we make as we decide what is good and what is
evil are the most important decisions we will ever make. Upon them depends our
happiness or misery throughout time and eternity. ("The Voice of the
Spirit," Ensign, Aug. 1978, p. 4)
Blessings If We Choose Right Punishments If We Choose Wrong
Neal A. Maxwell
Moral agency in the face
of difficult choices was not for Adam and Eve alone (Moses 7:32; D&C
101:78). There are blessings if we choose aright and penalties if we choose wrongly.
Therefore, attempting to stand between friends and the consequences of their
wrong choices is not realistic; it is not nearly as useful as being lovingly at
their sides before and when choices are being made. Men and women really are
"free to choose" (2 Nephi 2:27), and we cannot and should not try to
have it otherwise. (But for a Small Moment, p.130)
The Spirit can minimize
Satan’s effect by building a
Good is available to all
yet is corrupted by evil.
We need the electronic age
to get people ready for the 2nd coming. 1st internet use – pornography, 2nd
internet use – genealogy
President McKay – 1947 and
1966 – gave talks on future discoveries that will be unparalleled to any other
time in history. There will be
scientific discoveries that will stagger the imagination. The potential for good will far outweigh the
bad. The control of these discoveries
will be very important.
President Kimball –
Discoveries will be for our exaltation or our damnation.
General Mormon raised
One mans sin can affect
(Joshua 5:9.)
9 And the LORD
said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of
5:2-9 circumcise again the children
of
The generation born in the wilderness
had not been circumcised; performing that ordinance renewed
5:10-15 the children of
The first Passover kept by the
Israelites in Canaan took place forty years after the Passover was inaugurated
in Egypt on the eve of Israel's march to freedom (Josh. 5:10a; Ex.
12:11; Num. 28:16; 32:13; Deut. 29:5). The children of
A heavenly messenger came "as
captain of the host of the Lord" to reassure Joshua and
(Ellis T. Rasmussen, A
Latter-day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament [Salt Lake City: Deseret,
1993], 209.)
Gilgal was
a sanctuary city, a very important place; it was a location for their school of
the prophets. It becomes a wicked city
when
Actions of
a parent will be a blessing or they will lose their posterity. Just like the foreskin symbolizes this to
Achan
One person
affects all of
God insisted on strict observance of
his commands when
(Stephen D.
Ricks and William J. Hamblin, eds., Warfare in the Book of Mormon [Salt
Lake City and Provo: Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient Research and
Mormon Studies, 1990], 106.)
(Joshua 7:10-15.)
10 ¶ And the LORD said
unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
11
12 Therefore the children
of
13 Up, sanctify the
people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD
God of
14 In the morning
therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that
the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof;
and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the
household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.
15 And it shall be, that
he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all
that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and
because he hath wrought folly in
Achan put
himself ahead of the community. He
needed to be destroyed (as a sinner) or
God knows
who did it and it could not be hid before the Lord. Achan did not keep his covenants, he sinned
before God. Sin disqualifies you from
every kingdom until you repent.
Achan put a
few material things first in his life not God.
He was stoned along with his family and all of his possessions, this was
a hard lesson that
The impact
of this is the same as when we break our temple covenants.
God cannot
look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.
Joshua 8 –
Remainder of Joshua
July 27, 2006
East
North
Left Hand Right
Hand
Blessing
West
Deuteronomy
27:14-26 – Curses for
28:15-68
Deuteronomy
28:1-14 – Blessing for
Moses Announces Blessings and
Cursings for
In some of the most pointed and
piercing language ever written with a mortal pen, Moses blesses
"And thou shalt become an
astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the Lord shall
lead thee." This is particularly true of the Jews whose identity is known.
"Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for
they shall go into captivity." Interwoven with the divine announcement of
the scattering of
Even before
After
But there is to be a day of
restoration—a day when the gospel, the priesthood, the eternal covenant, and
the knowledge of God and Christ and their laws shall all be revealed anew. As
it is written: "It shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon
thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt
call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven
thee, and shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice
according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all
thine heart, and with all thy soul; that then the Lord thy God will turn thy
captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from
all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee." The
gathering will be as extensive and all-embracing as was the scattering.
"If any of thine be driven out
unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather
thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: and the Lord thy God will bring thee
into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he
will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers."
The day of gathering will be a day of
conversion. "The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart
of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy
soul, that thou mayest live. . . . And thou shalt return and obey the voice of
the Lord, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. And the
Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit
of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for
good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over
thy fathers, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep
his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law,
and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy
soul." (Deuteronomy 30:1-10.)
Is it amiss to point out that the
lost sheep of Israel, as they return to the ancient sheepcote, are blessed and
prospered because they keep the commandments, obey the ordinances, and walk in
all the ways of the God of Israel—and not simply because they confess the Lord
Jesus with their lips and assume that his atoning sacrifice has done all that
is necessary to save the elect? It is obedience and personal righteousness that
saves all men,
(Bruce R.
McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1985],.)
How to Get Rich
Deuteronomy is the definitive
statement of the law by which
I have chosen the Deuteronomy version
of the old law, because the reward it promises explicitly and repeatedly is
success—prosperity and long life in the new land of promise. One looks in vain
for direct promises of eternal life and exaltation. That is why Jacob 4:5 says
that the early Nephites knew that salvation did not come by the law of Moses,
but they followed it to the letter because they could not receive higher law on
any other conditions; it pointed their minds forward. But Deuteronomy
definitely is the plan, guide, and handbook for "success" in this
world; and as such, it is accepted as no other book by Israelis today. No
commentaries or comparisons are required hereafter! And the rules for them are the
rules for us!
Chapter 5 begins with Moses
announcing for the last time that in bidding farewell to the children of
Israel, he is summarizing for them exactly what their law is to be (Deuteronomy
5:1). They are to consider it not as something for the ancients, a mere
tradition, but something meant for "those living right now and right
here" (Deuteronomy 5:3). This statement is followed by the Ten
Commandments. What we are given in Deuteronomy is to be received henceforward
as the law by which Israel will live; not a word is to be added to it or taken
from it until God sees fit to make what changes he will (Deuteronomy 4:2). Once
men start "clarifying" the words of the prophets, they can rewrite
the book; God will not tolerate that. If, with the passing generations, Moses
tells them, they should dilute it or corrupt it, they will not be merely
reprimanded but utterly destroyed—scattered among the nations and reduced to
pitifully small numbers (Deuteronomy 4:25-27). They are instructed to write the
law down and memorize it (Deuteronomy 31:9). Every seven years the whole nation
shall gather together and the high priest "shall read this law before all
The first rule, and one never to be
forgotten, is that everything you have or ever will have, individually
and collectively, is a gift from God, something that he blesses you
with, has blessed you with, or will bless you with—you owe it all to him.
Throughout the book, the refrain is repeated at the end of almost every
pronouncement: You must do this in recognition of your dependence to God,
because first and foremost he has given you your lives, he rescued you from
Egypt, and he redeemed you—that is, he paid the price for you that you
could not pay yourself: "And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman
in Egypt, and Jehovah thy God redeemed thee [brought you free, paid the
price, for nothing], . . . and therefore I command thee this thing
today" (Deuteronomy 5:15). You are not to turn to any other source of life
and guidance; "do not look to the sun or the moon or the stars" to
represent me. "It is to me directly and to me only that you must turn: The
Lord who brought you out of
The first thing the Israelites are to
do when they have settled in their new land is to fill a basket with
firstfruits, the first gifts of the land, and bring it to the priest, who sets
it before the altar; then they are to recite these verses: "A Syrian ready
to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there
with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: and the
Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage.
We called upon the Lord . . . and he heard us. . . . He brought us forth out of
the
Moses reminds the people that they
are about to settle down not in the lush
The second point Moses insists on is
that
Furthermore, the Israelites are not
to get the idea that because the Lord has turned out other people to give them
the land, it is because of their righteousness, or that victory in the field
has come to them as a reward of virtue: "Speak not thou in thine heart
saying: For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me to possess the land: but
rather for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them
out" (Deuteronomy 9:4). This is exactly the lesson of Nephi to his
brothers as they pass through those same lands. Whether or not these people
were more or less wicked than
The third rule is that since God is
giving it all away free to everyone, regardless of all other circumstances,
everyone has a right to whatever he needs to live on. Thus if you have taken a
man's coat for security, you must return it to him by sundown, because
he needs it to wear or to sleep in. Whether he has paid up or not has nothing
to do with it. If you feel short-changed, "Jehovah your God will give you
credit," so don't worry (Deuteronomy 24:13). Under no circumstances can
you take for a pledge or security a millstone or anything else upon which a
person's livelihood depends (Deuteronomy 24:6).
In passing through anyone's vineyard,
you may help yourself to whatever you can eat, but you may not carry off any in
a container. If the owner denies you what you need, he is greedy; if you take
more than you need, then you are greedy (Deuteronomy 23:24). In a field
of grain, take what you need then and there, but don't take a sickle to cut or
collect it. If you take it for profit or gain over and above what you need, you
are in danger (Deuteronomy 23:25). As Paul also reminds us, it was when the
people of
And what does God ask us to do to
requite his goodness? He does not need anything from us to show him and
ourselves whether we have learned our lesson. The basic rule of his economy is
that he is just and equitable: "He doth execute the judgment (mishpat)
for the orphan and the widow, and he loves the stranger and wants him to be
provided with food and clothing. Therefore, you must do the same:
love the stranger—remember that you too were strangers [and were
oppressed] in the
The word sanctified in the
King James Version means the same as consecrated, set apart; and it is the law
of consecration, given as it is at the culmination of all the other laws. And
in all of this,
But though we must be kind to each
other, we are not to go into debt with each other. God wants us to be in debt
to him alone and not to each other. This raises a problem to which the law of
Moses provides the only possible solution. It is almost impossible in the
world's economy to pay off a debt without incurring more debt. Young people
optimistically expect to work off their indebtedness, naively overlooking their
helplessness in the hands of creditors, who can always decide how much their
work is worth to them. And so we find ourselves strapped. Get out of debt! we
are told, but go into business! How do you do both? We hear both themes at the
Credit Union banquets: "Don't borrow," the speakers tell us,
"but please do your borrowing from us." God gives
When men receive gifts from each
other, they become dependent upon each other; and jealousy and meanness follow.
The judicial order in
The key to all this is the spirit in
which it is done and which alone can make it workable. The first and most
common word in every decree is, surprisingly, love. "And now,
Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy
God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with
all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and
his statutes, which I have commanded you to keep this day, all for your
good" (Deuteronomy 10:12-13). The question is never raised, "Will
this work, is it practical, is it sensible, is it realistic?" Quite the
contrary, the main question always is whether people feel good about serving
him: "O that there were such a heart in them, that they would really feel
it that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always that it might be
well with them and with their children forever!" (Deuteronomy 5:26). God
feels for us and worries about us. His concern for our welfare is far greater
than our own. Again and again a special command is introduced with the words of
the first great commandment and the second follows hard upon: "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, . . . soul, . . . might. And these
words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart" (Deuteronomy
6:5-6). This is the main theme of Deuteronomy, and it is an admonition against
that very legalism which later became the obsession of the rabbis as well as
our own society.
But how can a law of love be
legislated or enforced? Simply by the society's becoming completely immersed in
it: "Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, talk of them when
you are sitting at home, talk of them whenever you are on the move, about town
or on a journey, talk of them going to bed and getting up. Bind them on your
hand and make them like a sign between the eyes" (Deuteronomy 6:7-8).
(This had mystical connotations for later Judaism—the law is not only in your
heart, it is written all over your person, marked in your manner and your
appearance.) "And you shall write them on the mezuzoth of your
houses and gateways" (Deuteronomy 6:9). This shall be ingrained in the
consciousness of everyone in a natural, even unconscious, manner. One is to
take advantage of every opportunity to answer children's questions and take
care in various ways to stimulate the asking of those questions. Your children
will hear you talking about these things, and "when at any time in future
a child shall ask, 'Daddy what are these edoth [testimonies, witnesses,
ordinances, the Ten Commandments, councils, assemblies, and so on] and the huqqim
and the mishpatim which Jehovah our God ordered you to keep?' you shall
answer by telling him the story of the deliverance from Egypt"
(Deuteronomy 6:20-21). The whole thing is kept alive on a family basis with a
warm and urgent appeal to take these things to heart. "Thou shalt also
consider in thy heart, that as a man chasteneth his son, Jehovah your
God chasteneth you"—think of him in that way, as a kind Father, who would
not do anything that was not for his son's good (Deuteronomy 8:5).
Now comes the most important part of
the business: the reaching out beyond immediate family to all the world.
"If there be a poor man of your brethren living anywhere within your
knowledge, in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not
harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy poor brother" (Deuteronomy
15:7). These are Benjamin and Mosiah's orders also (Mosiah 4:13-25). We have no
laws requiring a man to be generous or penalizing meanness of spirit, for the
obvious reason that no one can know exactly what is in another's heart. But God
knows, and he does require these things in his law. You shall not only give to
the poor man, but you should do it magnanimously (and this is a direct order):
"But thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend
him sufficient for his need of whatever he is in want" (Deuteronomy 15:8).
But that is not all! It is not enough to do merely what you are told, you must
do it in the right spirit without any mental reservations. In this case you are
not supposed to calculate how near the day of the Lord's release is. Let us say
it is only ten days away, which means that if I loan him something, he won't
ever have to pay it back: "Beware that there is not a thought in thy
wicked heart, saying the seventh year, the year of release is at hand; if I
give anything to him now he will not have to repay it, and I will never get it
back, and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him
nought, . . . and he cry to the Lord, and it be a sin unto thee"
(Deuteronomy 15:9). (Leave the computer and the calculating alone! Remember, a
gift given grudgingly is a curse on the giver.) Speaking in general terms,
"Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou
givest unto him" (Deuteronomy 15:10). My Scottish forebears, how it hurt
them to part with a penny! "Because for that thing the Lord thy God shall
bless thee [no amount specified] in all thy works" (Deuteronomy 15:10). He
guarantees full payment. It may seem severe to us to say, "Thou shalt not
deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto
thee" (Deuteronomy 23:15). But the law goes further. Not only shall the
refugee "dwell with thee . . . in that place which he shall
choose," but while he is with you, "thou shalt not oppress [tonennu,
grumble about, mutter under your breath, complain about] him" (Deuteronomy
23:16). When the time comes for your own servant to leave you after his six
years, he does not have to leave if he has become attached to your service
(Deuteronomy 15:16-17); the important thing is that if he does want to go, you
must let him go cheerfully. "It shall not seem hard unto thee when
thou sendest him away free"—you will be happy about it, because he has
worked for you all that time, because you are doing the will of the Lord, and
because you have faith in his judgment and goodness: "If you do
that," the order continues, "the Lord thy God will bless
thee"—you can't lose a thing (Deuteronomy 15:18).
If a man has two wives and loves the
one and can't stand the other, and the unloved one has a son before the other,
that son must inherit a double portion, for a man must always deal fairly and
play no favorites (Deuteronomy 21:15-17). That is the essence of the
law—complete fairness at all times.
But the fair thing is also the decent
thing, the noble thing. "If a man take a beautiful captive to wife, he
must allow her the full period of mourning for her own family, respecting her
feelings and allowing her to make the transfer" (Deuteronomy 21:11-13). If
after all he decides not to marry her, then she is free to go where she will.
Though a captive of war, she is a free woman: "Thou shalt not make
merchandise of her because thou hast humbled her" (Deuteronomy 21:14). The
respect for human dignity and the feelings of others always have priority on
other claims.
This principle is clearly shown in
the rules of battle. If you have the right on your side, you are not to fear
the enemy (Deuteronomy 20:1). Before the battle, the priest gives an address to
the people, a pep talk, telling them, "Let not your hearts be faint, . . .
for Jehovah your God goes with you to fight for you . . . and to save
you." The main thing is that you know perfectly well that your own hearts
and hands are pure (Deuteronomy 20:2-4). But certain men are not permitted to
go into battle: "anyone who has bought a house and not yet dedicated it,
or who has planted a vineyard and not yet eaten of it," for life must go
on, and such homely matters have priority over the claims of the military.
Indeed, they are the only justification for the military anyway, whose whole
purpose is supposed to be to protect the life of the society. One who has
"betrothed a wife and not yet taken her" may not go to battle,
"lest he die and another man take her" (a favorite theme of wartime
romances) (Deuteronomy 20:5-7). But it is mostly out of consideration for the
bride. The husband may not be required to go to war or indeed to engage in any
distracting business for one year—"for the sake of cheering his wife"
(Deuteronomy 24:5). It is her feelings that deserve first consideration. Most
significant is the rule that before the battle, the fearful and faint-hearted
should be allowed and even requested to go home without prejudice, "lest
his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart" (Deuteronomy 20:8). This
recognizes the simple fact that all men are human and have their limits of
endurance. The host is not divided into higher heroes and cowards in the Patton
fashion, but into those with lower and higher thresholds of resistance to fear,
with the understanding that everyone has a breaking point—Peter broke when he
denied the Lord because he was scared stiff. The weak-hearted are to be
dismissed in recognition of the fact that all men suffer from the same
weakness—the timid soul is dangerous because the rest of us are almost
as susceptible as he is and only too easily affected by his example. So we must
let him go, before we get cold feet too!
It is always the spirit that counts.
The celebrations in which everyone is generous and open-handed in recognition
of God's bounty are joyous affairs. Sons, daughters, servants, strangers,
orphans, and widows must all come together and rejoice and be happy as one big
happy family. That is the spirit in which this must be done, and that is
the spirit of the law of consecration and the United Order. "Remember that
thou wast a bondman in
From all of this it would appear that
the one thing God will not tolerate in his children is that meanness of spirit
which would take advantage of his other children and even of him. "Thou
shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord . . . any bullock, or sheep with any blemish
or fault whatever or any evil-favoredness: for that is an abomination unto the
Lord thy God" (Deuteronomy 17:1). Why? Because it is cheap, it is mean,
the equivalent of shaving one's tithing or underestimating one's fast offering.
As Isaiah reminds
Mention of processing olives and
grapes brings up the word "extortion"; the literal meaning of the
word "is to squeeze the last drop out of a thing." The gifts of God,
we are told, which are the bounties of the earth, are to be used "with
judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion" (D&C 59:20). How
often it is that these last drops mean the extra profit we so eagerly pursue.
And now comes one of the most famous passages in the Bible: "For the poor
shall never cease out of the land" (Deuteronomy 15:11). We have given this
a rather mean twist today, arguing that since the poor will always be there, it
is a waste of time to help them, for that will only encourage them and make
more of them. Thus we ignore the rest of the verse (I have never heard anyone
quote it), which is: "Therefore I command thee, saying thou shalt open up
thy hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy
land" (Deuteronomy 15:11). Their perpetual presence is not to make us
indifferent, but it is a constant reminder that God has his eye on us.
What we are warned against more than
anything else is taking advantage of those who are disadvantaged—the stranger,
the orphan; "nor take the widow's raiment to pledge," always
remembering that you were once the disadvantaged (Deuteronomy 24:17-18). A list
of things is given for which people are told they will be cursed. Of the nine
specific crimes, all but one—the worship of graven images—are in the nature of
taking advantage of weaker parties: holding one's aged father or mother in
contempt; removing a neighbor's landmark (while he is not looking); taking
advantage of a blind person, "making the blind to wander out of the
way" (Deuteronomy 27:18); taking advantage of strangers, orphans, and
widows with the help of lawyers; incest; striking anyone off guard, as Cain did
Abel; and taking a reward to slay someone who has not offended you (the Mahan
principle) (Deuteronomy 27:15-25). The one person who is held up as a monster
of wickedness so evil that he should be forever forgotten by all men was
Amalek, king of the Amorites, who "smote the hindmost of thee, the feeble
laggards on the march; when you were faint and weary, he attacked, and he
feared not God (Deuteronomy 25:17-19). The most common way of taking advantage
of another's need is loaning money at interest, and this is strictly forbidden,
though it is the cornerstone of our present-day economy (Deuteronomy 23:19).
But even more effective is the iron law of wages, which forces a worker to
accept the lowest possible pay from you because he is desperate for work—as
long as his labor brings you a profit, you will continue to hire him; when it
doesn't, you let him go. And in all this, you pose as his benefactor.
"Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy"
(Deuteronomy 24:14). What is more, you must not only pay him a living wage, but
you must pay him every day before sundown: "Because he is poor, and
setteth his heart upon it" (Deuteronomy 24:15). Everyone has a right to
his daily bread.
In a word, the right to life always
supersedes the right to profit. Thus, "thou shalt not deliver unto
his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee"
(Deuteronomy 23:15). Here is the clear confrontation of life versus property,
which played such a large role in the history of this country; apparently the
pious slave owners never read this part of the Bible. And everyone knows the
law that "thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn"
(Deuteronomy 25:4). The beast is working for you—give him a break.
Indeed, "anyone stealing an
Israelite to make merchandise of him or sell him outright must die"
(Deuteronomy 24:7). In the ancient world, stealing and selling people into
slavery was at all times one of the most profitable businesses. But in our free
Anglo-Saxon tradition, it has been carried out in a more covert (and therefore
more respectable) manner: press-gangs, indentured servants, slave-raids,
pimping, enlistment of workers for unknown jobs that turn out to be sweatshops
or labor camps, brain washing by certain cults, and so on. And here is an
interesting one: criminals in the law of
The question arises, Are these laws
realistic? Are they workable in the modern world? No! They are very special
laws given to very special people. They are simply fantastic as far as the
world is concerned. But that is just the point, says the Lord. The people of
the world are not good enough to be my people. "I have called you out of
the world. Your covenant is not with them, nor need you make any concessions to
(tekhannem) them. Do not intermarry with them, for marriage is a
covenant. You must have nothing to do with them, because you are something
different from the world—holy, set apart, chosen, special—peculiar (am
segullah; sealed, segulloth), not like any other people upon the
face of the adamah. God will keep faith with you all the way; he is
merciful and loving and wants to bless you for a thousand generations"
(Deuteronomy 7:1-9). To reject such an offer of love is to incur resentment and
disaster; disposed love turns to hate. If you hate him, you will have to pay
for it. That is fair, because he intends to make you blessed above all other
people. You will be a veritable
In his farewell prayer for his
people, Moses calls upon the Lord: "Look down from thy holy habitation . .
. and bless thy people
The last four chapters of Deuteronomy
are devoted to the most harrowing, detailed, prophetic descriptions of what
will happen to Israel if the people do not walk up to all the covenants. The
Lord insists on a viable equation: the promise on the land is equal to the
curse; the greater the blessing if the laws are kept, the greater the curse if
they are broken. This vast land is yours, and in giving it to you,
"behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse."
For there is no contract without a penalty clause. A blessing, if ye obey, and
a cursing, if ye will not obey (Deuteronomy 11:26-28). The Lord orders the
heads of six tribes to pronounce the blessing on the people as they enter the
land, and the heads of six others to curse the people "with a loud
voice"; and after each blessing and cursing, all the people cry
"Amen!" formally accepting the conditions (Deuteronomy 27:12-14).
Great stones are set up and inscribed in bold, plain, legible letters so that
no one can ever forget what they are committed to. Then Moses and all the
priests address the people, telling them that they are formally and legally the
people of the Lord, henceforward under obligation to obey his voice, observe
his rules and carry out his commandments (Deuteronomy 27:2-10). After listing
all the blessings in the first half of chapter 28, Moses turns to the second
half, beginning, "but . . . if thou will not hearken, . . . these curses
shall come upon thee" (Deuteronomy 28:15); then he lists the same
blessings, but in reverse. "The curses will dog you in all your
undertaking, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly"
(Deuteronomy 28:20). This is the Book of Mormon situation also, which is
characteristic only of Israel to this degree; other nations have sinned and
suffered, and they are still in existence, still sinning and suffering, after
thousands of years; but in the Old World, and the New, Israel was smashed and
scattered. Epidemics, war and drought will wipe you out.
Reversal of the Blessings
1. If you do not keep the covenant
you have made, "the heaven will be brass over your head and the earth will
be iron under your feet" (Deuteronomy 28:23).
2. Your rain-clouds will be clouds of
dust (Deuteronomy 28:24).
3. You will be destroyed like the
Jaredites by the hand of the Lord, for "the Lord shall cause thee to be
smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee
seven ways before them" (Deuteronomy 28:25).
You will suffer crushing defeats:
4. You will wither away physically
(Deuteronomy 28:26).
5. There will be most unsightly skin
diseases, itches, scabs, hemorrhoids (Deuteronomy 28:27).
6. And also mental illness of all
sorts: "madness, blindness, and astonishment of heart" (Deuteronomy
28:28).
7. You will "grope at noonday .
. . and shalt not prosper in thy ways." Everything you try will fail
(Deuteronomy 28:29).
8. Everything you prepare will go to
someone else (Deuteronomy 28:30).
9. You will end up in the hands of
your enemies (Deuteronomy 28:31).
10. Even your sons and daughters will
go over to others. It will all be more than you can stand (Deuteronomy 28:32).
11. "So that thou shalt be mad
for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see" (Deuteronomy 28:34). (It
sounds like wild poetry—not so fantastic anymore.)
And it is also history for the Jews:
12. "The Lord shall bring thee .
. . to a nation your fathers never knew" (Deuteronomy 28:36).
13. "Thou shalt become an
astonishment, a proverb, a byword among all nations whither the Lord shall lead
thee" (Deuteronomy 28:37). (The unique history of the Jews bids us take
the whole scenario seriously.)
14. The toil and desperate moves and
ultimate checks and frustrations they have had to suffer in the world—still half
their own fault—is described (Deuteronomy 28:38-40).
15. And all this will go on
"till thou be destroyed" (Deuteronomy 28:45).
16. "Because thou servedst not
Jehovah thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of
all things, therefore, shalt thou serve thine enemies?" (Deuteronomy
28:47-48). (This is how he wants you to accept his blessings, to make everybody
happy.)
17. "The Lord shall bring a
nation against thee from afar . . . whose language you don't understand"
(Deuteronomy 28:49).
18. There will be fierce, warlike
people "which shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to
the young"—hard-faced military officers, such as rule the world today
(Deuteronomy 28:50).
19. They will take everything over
and reduce you to nothing" (Deuteronomy 28:51).
20. Your supplies will be reduced to
the point where you prey on each other without mercy, everyone turning against
everyone else (Deuteronomy 28:54).
21. You will suffer from chronic
epidemics (Deuteronomy 28:59).
22. Your populations will dwindle
away (Deuteronomy 28:62).
23. In short, "as the Lord
rejoiced . . . to do you good and to multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice . .
. to destroy you, and reduce you to nothing," an endangered and homeless
species (Deuteronomy 28:63).
24. Among these nations shalt thou
find no peace (Deuteronomy 28:65).
25. "And shalt have none
assurance of thy life" (Deuteronomy 28:66). (Absolutely no security. No
matter how rich and powerful they have become in many countries and in many
centuries, even the greatest of them have been subject to immediate torture and
death without notice.)
26. At night you will wish for day,
and all day wish for night (Deuteronomy 28:67).
The next chapter begins the windup.
"Ye stand this day all of you before Jehovah your God . . . that he may
establish thee today for a people unto himself . . . . Let there be no one with
any mental reservations as to what he has sworn to; . . . that will be gall and
wormwood" (Deuteronomy 29:10, 13, 18). Someone who thinks the words of the
curse will not apply to him will say: This won't bother me—I'll just go my way!
But "the Lord will not spare him. . . . All the curses written in this
book will be upon him." You will be bringing the fate of
And then Moses' own testimony:
"See I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.
Your choice is to flourish or perish. . . . I call heaven and earth to record
this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and
cursing: therefore choose life . . . that thou mayest love the Lord . . . obey
his voice . . . cleave unto him: for he is thy life and the length of
thy days" (Deuteronomy 30:15-20).
Notes
This address was given in March 1982 in
(Hugh
Nibley, Approaching Zion, edited by Don E. Norton [Salt Lake City and Provo:
Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1989],
178.)
BIBLE MAPS
|
|
1. Dan (Laish) Jeroboam set up a golden calf for the
2.
3.
4. Jezreel The name of a city in the largest and most fertile
5. Beth-shan Joshua led
6.
7.
8. Shechem Abraham built an altar
(Gen. 12:6-7). Jacob
lived near here. Simeon and Levi massacred all the males of this city (Gen. 34:25). Joshua’s
encouragement to “choose . . . this day” to serve God came in Shechem (Josh. 24:15). Here
Jeroboam established the first capital of the
9. Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim Joshua
divided Israel on these two mounts-the blessings of the law were proclaimed
from Mount Gerizim, while the cursings came from Mount Ebal (Josh. 8:33). The
Samaritans later built a temple on Gerizim (2 Kgs. 17:32-33).
10. Penuel (Peniel) Here Jacob wrestled all night with a
messenger of the Lord (Gen.
32:24-32). Gideon destroyed a Midianite fortress (Judg. 8:5, 8-9).
11. Joppa Jonah sailed from here toward Tarshish to avoid his
mission to
12. Shiloh During the time of the Judges,
13.
14.
15. Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron,
16.
17.
18. En-gedi David hid from Saul and spared Saul’s life (1 Sam. 23:29; 24:1-22)
.
19. Gerar Abraham and Isaac lived here for a time (Gen. 20-22, 26).
20.
21.
Burnt
Offering – Symbol of Consecration – Put God 1st by dedicating all to
the Lord
Keep the
commandments and we will prosper in the land.
This is a major theme in the Book of Mormon.
Joshua 8 –
An altar was built on
Theocratic
government was established in
Elders
>> Officers >> Judges >> Priests (High Priest) >>
Levites >> Prophet >> God
Deuteronomy
18:15 – God will raise up prophets including Jesus Christ.
After
Joshua Israel will go to a theocratic government, everyone including Gentiles
living among
HITTITES IN THE LAND
The Hittite nation was one of the
strongest with which the Israelites had to deal. Since the Hittites were such
formidable opponents of Joshua and his people, some background concerning them
should be of interest.
The Hittites were the descendants of
Heth, who himself was a son of
In the time of Abraham the
descendants of Heth lived near
Esau married two Hittite women. (Gen.
26:34-35; 36:2.)
The Hittites were in the land when
Moses sent spies to survey the area. (Num. 13:29.) Uriah, with whose wife King
David committed adultery, was a Hittite who fought in the armies of
The Hittites became one of the most
powerful nations of the entire
They lived in an area about the size
of
The Hittites learned cuneiform
writing by 2000 B.C., possibly earlier. They borrowed much from the Egyptians
in the line of education and art. Due to that influence, they devised a system
of writing that included picture signs and phonetic values. Historians record
that with these hieroglyphic signs they engraved great stone records like those
of
In their business they used the two
existing forms of writing, cuneiform and hieroglyphic. The hieroglyphic records
carved on stone walls have not yet been deciphered. However, it is admitted
that the Hittite sculptors had little skill with a chisel.
Their religion centered in the
worship of the great "Earth-Mother," their chief goddess, later
revered in both Crete and
At first the Hittites had various
disconnected city-states, but in about 1500 B.C. the strongest unit among them
built a capital city at Khatti on the east side of the
This empire lasted for more than two
hundred years (1450-1200 B.C.). It was powerful militarily and had as its chief
offensive force an army of charioteers, which contributed much to the breakdown
of the Egyptian Empire.
When these people began to work the
iron mines along the
It was not the Israelites who finally
overcame the Hittites. It was invasion of the Greeks and the Indo-Europeans
that did that.
Breasted describes their fall in
these words:
During the thousand years between 200
and 1000 B.C. the Greeks thus took possession not only of the whole Greek
peninsula but likewise of the entire Aegean world. . . .
Probably before 1500 B.C. some of
these invaders of
The northern
(Mark E.
Petersen, Joshua: Man of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1978],
26.)
Sea
Peoples:
- Change bronze age to iron age
- Powerful group that destroys
- Found hundreds of clay tablets
in kilns when
- Destroys Hittite empire, something
- Their goal was to destroy
One group
of sea peoples was the Philistines, they displace the tribe of Dan and Simeon,
these two tribes move further north.
Samson is
raised to fight and defeat the Philistines.
Samson One of the Judges in
(Bruce R.
McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1965-1973], 3: 217.)
Sea Peoples (Haunebu
in Egyptian) is the term used for a mysterious confederacy of seafaring raiders
who sailed into the eastern shores of the Mediterranean,
invaded Cyprus, Hatti and the Levant, and
attempted to enter Egyptian
territory during the late 19th dynasty, and especially year 8 of Ramses III
of the 20th Dynasty. The term "Sea
Peoples" was never used in Egyptian records, but was popularized in the
19th century.
The earliest mention of the Sea Peoples is in an
inscription of the Egyptian king Merneptah,
whose rule is usually dated from 1213 BC to 1204 BC, although mention of individual groups does occur
earlier (for example Denyen, during the reign of Amenhotep
III, and Shardana,
as mercenaries to Ramses II). Merneptah states that in the fifth year of
his reign (1208
BC) he defeated an invasion of an allied force of Libyans and the Sea
People, killing 6,000 soldiers and taking 9,000 prisoners.
About twenty years later the Egyptian king Ramses III
was forced to deal with another invasion of the Sea Peoples. In the mortuary
temple he built at Medinet Habu, in Thebes,
Ramses describes how, despite the fact "no land could stand before"
the forces of the Sea People and that they swept through "Hatti, Kode, Carchemish,
Arzawa, and Alashiya"
destroying their cities, he defeated them in a sea battle. He gives the names
of the tribes of the Sea People as including: the Peleset,
the Tjeker, the
Shekelesh, the Denyen,
and the Weshesh. However, because this list is identical to the one Merneptah
had included in his victory inscription, and because Ramses also describes on
his temple walls several victories known to be fictitious, some Egyptologists
believe that he never actually fought the Sea Peoples, but only claimed the
victories of Merneptah as his own—a common practice of a number of the Pharaohs.
The Sea Peoples appear in another set of records
dated around the early 12th century BC. Ammurapi, the last king of Ugarit (c. 1191–1182 BC)
received a letter from the Hittite king Suppiluliuma
II warning him about the "Shikalayu who live on boats": compare
the Shekelesh of the slightly earlier Merneptah/Ramses inscriptions. It may be
relevant that shortly after he received this communication, Ammurapi was
overthrown and the city of
|
|
Joshua 14 –
the division of the land into the 12 tribes, 9 ½ and 2 ½ (later Northern
kingdom
Joshua 18 –
Tabernacle was moved from Shechem to
Joshua 20 –
6 cities of refuge, those who kill in self defense or kill in another manner
beside murder go here for refuge.
The duty of
Priests and Levites is to teach the people of
Deuteronomy
16:18 – Judges and officers were found at all gates of cities.
Prophets
are preachers (Isaiah, Jeremiah)
Priests and
Levities are teachers
(
26
And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the
people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of God. And when the
priest had imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again
diligently unto their labors; and the priest, not esteeming himself above his
hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the
teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did
all labor, every man according to his strength.
Nephities
don’t have a theocracy for a government like
Duty of
preacher is to get people to hear
Duty of
teacher is to get people to learn
Prophets
teach the word of God by revelation.
Joshua 21, the priests and levities lived in 48 cities. Their responsibility was to teach the
scriptures and the law. Sons of the
prophets were a group who did these activities. (Elijah). Prophets also preach against wickedness, a
voice of warning, they aren’t crowd pleasers.
Prophets
can call all people (priests and levities) to repentance.
(Joshua 24:14-25.)
14 ¶ Now therefore fear
the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which
your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in
15 And if it seem evil
unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the
gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood,
or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my
house, we will serve the LORD.
16 And the people answered
and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
17 For the LORD our God,
he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the
18 And the LORD drave out
from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore
will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.
19 And Joshua said unto
the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is
a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
20 If ye forsake the LORD,
and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you,
after that he hath done you good.
21 And the people said
unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.
22 And Joshua said unto
the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you
the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
23 Now therefore put away,
said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your
heart unto the LORD God of
24 And the people said
unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
25 So Joshua made a
covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in
Shechem.
Joshua
reviews the history of the people coming out of
Faith – in
a being they cannot see
Idolatry –
faith in things you can see
Joshua gathered all the tribes of
Joshua's valedictory address was at
Shechem, in the center of
The people covenanted to be faithful,
and Joshua wrote a record of it in a "book of the law of God." He set
up another stone memorial to bear witness of the covenant, and the Israelites
did keep it for a time, until that generation passed away (Josh. 24: 26-28, 31;
Judg. 2:7-11). Sadly, the same cannot be said of many of their descendants, as
they are portrayed in the books of Judges, Samuel, and Kings.
(Ellis T.
Rasmussen, A Latter-day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament [Salt Lake
City: Deseret, 1993], 208.)
The record states that after
This great military and spiritual
leader then urged a commitment, and made one himself and for his family:
"Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . but as for me and my house,
we will serve the Lord." (Josh. 24:15.)
Here was a great statement of full
commitment of a man to God; of a prophet to the desires of the Lord; and of
Joshua the man to his God, who had many times previously blessed his obedience.
He was telling the Israelites that regardless of how they decided, he would do
what he knew was right. He was saying that his decision to serve the Lord was
independent of whatever they decided; that their actions would not affect his;
that his commitment to do the Lord's will would not be altered by anything they
or anyone else would do. Joshua was firmly in control of his actions and had
his eyes fixed on the commandments of the Lord. He was committed to obedience.
(Howard W.
Hunter, That We Might Have Joy [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994],
155.)
As Joshua's death neared (he was
"going the way of all the earth" [Joshua 23:14], as was also the case
with Benjamin in Mosiah 1:9), he assembled the elders (Joshua 24:1-2) to make
arrangements for the continuation of the covenant (Joshua 23:1). He exhorted
them to love and obey God (Joshua 23:6-8, 11), who would then assist them
against their enemies (Joshua 23:3-5, 9-10). He also spoke of the curses which
followed disobedience to the Law (Joshua 23:12-13, 15-16). Following these
preliminary arrangements, the tribes of
(John M.
Lundquist and Stephen D. Ricks, eds., By Study and Also by Faith: Essays in
Honor of Hugh W. Nibley on the Occasion of His Eightieth Birthday, 27 March
1990, 2 vols. [Salt Lake City and Provo: Deseret Book Co., Foundation for
Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1990], 2: 219.)
Genesis
12:6 – Joshua 24:26 – Children of
Judges 2:1
– The angel is speaking for Jehovah. God
will never beak the covenant, but the people will because they do not obey
God’s words.
When Christ
comes, the religious offices are all corrupt, a theocracy is a distant memory, and
they want a monarchy.
D&C 137-138
December 15, 2005
The School
of the Prophets and the Hebrew school were taught inside the temple in
Kirtland. Outside teachers were hired
to instruct the priesthood. This was
done to prepare them to serve missions.
Various curriculums were taught and fees were assessed to attend the
classes.
D&C 76
& 88 = Requirements to enter the Celestial kingdom.
(Doctrine and Covenants
137:1-10.)
1 The heavens were opened
upon us, and I beheld the celestial
2 I saw the transcendent
beauty of the gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which
was like unto circling flames of fire;
3 Also the blazing throne
of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son.
4 I saw the beautiful
streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold.
5 I saw Father Adam and
Abraham; and my father and my mother; my brother Alvin, that has long since
slept;
6 And marveled how it was
that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had
departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second
time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins.
7 Thus came the voice of
the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel,
who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs
of the celestial
8 Also all that shall die
henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their
hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom;
9 For I, the Lord, will
judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their
hearts.
10 And I also beheld that
all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are
saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven.
Verse 1 – 1st
scripture given which describes some physical aspect of the Celestial kingdom.
Verse 2 –
Only heirs will go into this kingdom, they will receive power to become the
sons and daughters of God D&C 11:30.
The power was lost when we came to earth as mortals, now we need to
become heirs again.
The
Spiritual Born Again Become
the Sons and Daughters of Christ
Mosiah 5:7
7
And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the
children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath
spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith
on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his
daughters.
Bruce R. McConkie
Those
who are born again not only live a new life, but they also have a new father.
Their new life is one of righteousness, and their new father is God. They
become the sons of God; or, more particularly, they become the sons and
daughters of Jesus Christ. They bear, ever thereafter, the name of their new
parent; that is, they take upon themselves the name of Christ and become
Christians, not only in word but in very deed. They become by adoption the seed
or offspring of Christ, the children in his family, the members of his
household which is the perfect household of perfect faith. And further: Having
become the sons of God (Christ), they also become joint-heirs with him of the
fulness of the glory of the Father, thus becoming by adoption the sons of God
the Father.
John
tells us that the Lord Jesus, who came in time's meridian unto his own, was
rejected by them. "But as many as received him as their Messiah and
Savior, "to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name. (John 1:12.) Speaking of that same meridian day, the
same Lord said in our day: "To as many as received me, gave I power to
become my sons." Be it noted that true believers are not automatically
born to a newness of life by the mere fact of belief alone. That belief and
that acceptance of the Savior gives them power to become the sons of God. And
in our day the divine word continues: "Even so will I give unto as many as
will receive me, power to become my sons." And how are those who receive
the Lord identified? By way of answer, he tells us: "Verily, verily, I say
unto you, he that receiveth my gospel receiveth me; and he that receiveth not
my gospel receiveth not me." (D&C 39:4-5.) Those who have accepted the
fulness of the everlasting gospel as it has come again in our day through the
instrumentality of Joseph Smith have power to become the sons of God; those who
reject this heaven-sent message of salvation reject that Lord whose message it
is and remain outside the Lord's family.
In
addressing a congregation of contrite and penitent Nephites, King Benjamin,
using that simplicity of speech and clarity of expression in which Book of
Mormon prophets so excel, said to his fellow saints: "Because of the
covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his
sons, and his daughters." They thus gain a new father, and he gains new
children. "For behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you."
Their new birth is not a natural but a spiritual birth. "For ye say that
your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him
and have become his sons and his daughters."
Thus
it is that the saints are born of Christ because they have been born of the
Spirit; they are alive in Christ because they enjoy the companionship of the
Spirit, and they are members of his family because they are clean as he is
clean. "And under this head ye are made free" -- being in Christ,
they are free from the bondage of sin -- "and there is no other head
[other than Christ our Head] whereby ye can be made free." Only those who
accept Christ and receive the Spirit can free themselves from the sins of the
world. "There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore,
I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have
entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of
your lives." (Mosiah 5:7-8.)
Those who receive the
Lord Jesus and believe in their hearts that he is the Son of God by whom
salvation comes; those who then covenant in the waters of baptism to serve him
and keep his commandments; those who believe the gospel and are members of the
earthly kingdom -- these are the ones who have power to become his sons and
daughters. Thus they are the ones who take upon themselves his name.
In our day the divine
word from the Lord Jesus commands: "Take upon you the name of Christ, and
speak the truth in soberness. Behold, Jesus Christ is the name which is given
of the Father, and there is none other name given whereby man can be saved;
wherefore, all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father, for
in that name shall they be called at the last day; wherefore, if they know not
the name by which they are called, they cannot have place in the kingdom of my
Father." (D&C 18:21-25.)
It was ever thus. Isaiah
prophesied of the "seed" of Christ. (Isaiah 53:10.) Abinadi says
"his seed" consists of the prophets and saints who hearken to his
word, who believe he will "redeem his people," who gain "a
remission of their sins," and who are thus "heirs of the
Our
theologically gifted friend Paul teaches the doctrine of spiritual rebirth and
of becoming sons and daughters of both the Father and the Son, explaining that
true believers, converted souls, righteous saints, those who are born again,
"walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." To walk after the
manner of the flesh is to live after the manner of the world; to walk after the
manner of the Spirit is to overcome the world and live by the standards of the
gospel. "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the
flesh" -- they live carnal and evil lives -- but they that are after the
Spirit the things of the Spirit. Theirs is a godly course of conduct. "For
to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: so then they that are in the
flesh cannot please God." The Lord cannot look upon sin with the least
degree of allowance. Those who live after the manner of the flesh are damned;
those who bridle their passions and overcome the world are saved.
As
to the saints of God, Paul says: "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." In the full and eternal sense
even in the true church, only those saints who enjoy the companionship of the
Spirit belong to the Lord; they are the only ones who are the Lord's people in
the sense of gaining salvation. "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead
because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the
Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you -- if you have
the companionship of the Holy Ghost -- he that raised up Christ from the dead
shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."
Ye shall be born again; ye shall become new creatures of the Holy Ghost; your
bodies shall be quickened, shall be made new shall become fit tabernacles in
which the Spirit may dwell. "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to
the flesh, to live after the flesh." The saints must not live in sin.
"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the
Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Those who live
after the manner of the world are spiritually dead; those who control the
appetites of the flesh and pursue a godly course are alive spiritually.
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear." Ye are made
free from the bondage of sin through Christ. "But ye have received the
Spirit of adoption [of sonship], whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Abba is an
Aramaic word that means father; the meaning here is that we sense and feel our
newly found relationship with God the Father and hence feel free to address him
in a friendly and familiar way.
"The
Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so
be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." That
is, because we have been adopted into the family of Christ, because we have
taken his name upon us, and because he has accepted us in full, we are also
accepted by his Father. We become joint-heirs with the Son. We are adopted into
a state of sonship by the Father. Christ is his natural heir, and as adopted
sons, we become joint-heirs, receiving, inheriting, and possessing as does the
Natural Heir. Because we conform "to the image of his Son," we are
also "glorified" with him. (Romans 8:4-30.) And thus in like manner,
the inhabitants of all worlds "are begotten sons and daughters unto
God" the Father through the atonement of Christ the Son. (D&C 76:24.)
[A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, pp. 284-287]
Verse 3 – The
blazing throne (singular) where the Father and the Son sit Revelations
3:21. The throne is symbolic of the
power of God
Verse 5 –
November 1823
Verses 7-10
– The rest of the vision answered his question
A Vision of the
The season of heavenly manifestations
was inaugurated by the Prophet's vision of the Father and Son in the celestial
glory. On the evening of 21 January 1836, about forty men entered the nearly
completed
After the Prophet had introduced one
of the ordinances connected with the Kirtland endowment—the ordinance of
anointing—Joseph Smith testified that "the heavens were opened upon
us," and he "beheld the celestial
Since Joseph Smith did not understand
at that time the concept of salvation for the dead, the Prophet was perplexed
when he saw his brother Alvin in the celestial kingdom, for
Before this remarkable series of
visions ended, the high councils from Kirtland and
(Robert L. Millet and Kent P.
Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine and Covenants
[
Salvation beyond the Grave
(D&C 137 and 138)
ROBERT L. MILLET
Elder Boyd K. Packer, in speaking to
a group of Church educators, remarked: "We live in a day of great events
relating to the scriptures. It has been only a short time since two revelations
were added to the standard works." Then, after making brief reference to
what are now sections 137 and 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants, he continued:
"I was surprised, and I think all of the Brethren were surprised, at how
casually that announcement of two additions to the standard works was received
by the Church. But we will live to sense the significance of it; we will tell
our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren, and we will record in our
diaries, that we were on the earth and remember when that took place." fn
The Vision of the
The historical setting of Joseph
Smith's Vision of the
Joseph and the early leaders of the
Church had begun to meet in the temple before its completion, and had
participated in washings, anointings, and blessings, all in preparation for
what came to be known as the Kirtland Endowment. On Thursday evening, 21 January
1836, the Prophet and a number of Church leaders from Kirtland and
The heavens were opened upon us, and
I beheld the celestial
I saw the transcendent beauty of the
gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like unto
circling flames of fire;
Also the blazing throne of God,
whereon was seated the Father and the Son.
I saw the beautiful streets of that
kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold (vv. 1-4).
Joseph had learned by vision in
February of 1832 the nature of those who would inherit the highest heaven, the
celestial. These persons are they who "overcome by faith, and are sealed
by the Holy Spirit of Promise," they "into whose hands the Father has
given all things" (D&C 76:53, 55). The Prophet's Vision of the
Joseph's account of the Vision continues:
"I saw Father Adam and Abraham; and my father and my mother; my brother
Alvin, that has long since slept; And marveled how it was that he had obtained
an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before
the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been
baptized for the remission of sins" (D&C 137:5-6). Joseph Smith's
brief view of the celestial kingdom permitted him to witness specific
personalities who had proven true and faithful in all things, and thus had
qualified for exaltation. Adam, the first man and father of the race, had
sought the Lord and found him. "Abraham received all things," a
revelation stated, "whatsoever he received, by revelation and commandment
. . . and hath entered into his exaltation and sitteth upon his throne"
(D&C 132:29). That Joseph's vision was a glimpse into the future celestial
realm is evident from the fact that he saw his parents—Joseph Sr. and Lucy
Mack—in the kingdom of the just, when in fact both were still living in 1836.
Father Smith was, interestingly, in the same room with his son at the time the
vision was received.
Alvin Smith was born on 11 February
1798 in
Inasmuch as
God does not and will not hold anyone
accountable for a gospel law of which he was ignorant. Every person will have
opportunity— here or hereafter—to accept and apply the principles of the gospel
of Jesus Christ. Only the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, is capable of
"keeping the gate" and thus discerning completely the hearts and
minds of mortal men; he alone knows when a person has received sufficient
knowledge or impressions to constitute a valid opportunity to receive the Plan
of Salvation. Joseph had reaffirmed that the Lord will judge men not only by
their actions, but also by their attitudes—the desires of their hearts (cf.
One of the most profoundly beautiful
of doctrines is that enunciated in the Vision of the Celestial Kingdom
regarding the status of children who die before the time of accountability:
"And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the
years of accountability are saved in the Celestial Kingdom of heaven"
(D&C 137:10). King Benjamin had learned from an angel that "the infant
perisheth not that dieth in his infancy" (Mosiah 3:18). After having
described the nature of those who will come forth in the first resurrection,
Abinadi said simply: "And little children also have eternal life"
(Mosiah 15:25). A revelation given to Joseph Smith in September of 1830
specified that "little children are redeemed from the foundation of the
world through mine Only Begotten" (D&C 29:46; cf. JST, Matt.
19:13-15). Joseph Smith taught in 1842 that "the Lord takes many away even
in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows and evils of
this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth;
therefore, if rightly considered, instead of mourning we have reason to rejoice
as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have them again." fn By
virtue of his infinite understanding of the human family, "we may assume
that the Lord knows and arranges beforehand who shall be taken in infancy and
who shall remain on earth to undergo whatever tests are needed in their
cases." fn These children will come forth from the grave as they lie
down—as children— fn and will grow to maturity in the Millennium. They will not
be expected to face tests or temptations in their resurrected state, but will
go on to enjoy the highest and grandest blessings of exaltation associated with
the everlasting continuation of the family unit. fn
Four and one-half years after Joseph
Smith's Vision of the
I was present at a discourse that the
Prophet Joseph delivered on baptism for the dead 15 August 1840. He read the
greater part of the 15th chapter of Corinthians and remarked that the Gospel of
Jesus Christ brought glad tidings of great joy . . . . He also said the apostle
[Paul] was talking to a people who understood baptism for the dead, for it was
practiced among them. He went on to say that people could now act for their
friends who had departed this life, and that the plan of salvation was
calculated to save all who were willing to obey the requirements of the law of
God. He went on and made a very beautiful discourse. fn
One month later, on 14 September
1840, Joseph Smith, Sr. passed away. Just before his death, Father Smith
requested that someone be baptized for and in behalf of his oldest son, Alvin.
Hyrum Smith complied with his father's last wishes, and was baptized by proxy
for
The Vision of the Redemption of the Dead (D&C 138)
The knowledge of a universal
salvation revealed initially through the Prophet Joseph continued to be
expanded and elaborated as the ongoing Restoration made further truths
available "line upon line." It is to the Prophet's nephew—Joseph F.
Smith—that we now turn for precious insights into the manner in which the
gospel is preached in the world of spirits.
During the last six months of his
life, President Joseph F. Smith suffered from the effects of advancing years
(he was in his 80th year) and spent much of his time in his personal study in
the Beehive House. President Smith did manage to garner enough strength to
attend the 89th semi-annual conference of the Church (October 1918). At the
opening session of the conference (Friday, October 4th) he arose to welcome and
address the Saints, and with a voice filled with emotion, spoke the following:
As most of you, I suppose, are aware,
I have been undergoing a siege of very serious illness for the last five
months. It would be impossible for me, on this occasion, to occupy sufficient
time to express the desires of my heart and my feelings, as I would desire to
express them to you. . . .
I will not, I dare not, attempt to
enter upon many things that are resting upon my mind this morning, and I shall
postpone until some future time, the Lord being willing, my attempt to tell you
some of the things that are in my mind, and that dwell in my heart. I have
not lived alone these last five months. I have dwelt in the spirit of prayer,
of supplication, of faith and of determination; and I have had my communication
with the Spirit of the Lord continuously. fn
According to the President's son,
Joseph Fielding Smith, the Prophet was here expressing (albeit in broadest
terms) the fact that during the past half-year he had been the recipient of
numerous manifestations, some of which he had shared with his son, both before
and following the conference. One of these manifestations, the Vision of
Redemption of the Dead, had been received just the day before, on 3 October,
and was recorded immediately following the close of the conference. fn
The aged Prophet's attention was
drawn to the world beyond mortality by his frequent confrontation with death.
His parents, Hyrum and Mary Fielding Smith, both died while he was a young man.
Among the great trials of his life none was more devastating than the passing
of many of his children into death. President Smith was possessed of an almost
infinite capacity to love, and thus the sudden departure of dear ones brought
extreme anguish and sorrow. Joseph Fielding Smith later wrote: "When death
invaded his home, as frequently it did, and his little ones were taken from
him, he grieved with a broken heart and mourned, not as those who mourn who
live without hope, but for the loss of his 'precious jewels' dearer to him than
life itself." fn
On 20 January 1918 Hyrum Mack Smith,
oldest son of Joseph F. and then a member of the Council of the Twelve
Apostles, was taken to the hospital for a serious illness, where the physicians
diagnosed a ruptured appendix. Despite constant medical attention and repeated
prayers, Hyrum M.—then only 45 years of age and at the time with a pregnant
wife—died on the night of 23 January. This was a particularly traumatic
affliction for the President. Hyrum had been called as an apostle at the same
conference wherein his father had been sustained as the Church's sixth
president (October 1901). Hyrum Mack was a man of depth and wisdom beyond his
years, and his powerful sermons evidenced his unusual insight into gospel
principles. "His mind was quick and bright and correct," remarked President
Smith. "His judgment was not excelled, and he saw and comprehended things
in their true light and meaning. When he spoke, men listened and felt the
weight of his thoughts and words." Finally, the Prophet observed: "He
has thrilled my soul by his power of speech, as no other man ever did. Perhaps
this was because he was my son, and he was filled with the fire of the Holy
Ghost." fn Already in a weakened physical condition due to age, the
Prophet's sudden sense of loss caused him "one of the most severe blows
that he was ever called upon to endure." fn
Even though President Smith indicated
in October of 1918 that the preceding six months had been a season of special
enrichment, in fact it may be shown that the last thirty months of his life
(specifically, from April 1916 to October 1918) represent a brief era of
unusual spiritual enlightenment, in which he delivered to the Church some of
the most important and inspiring insights of this dispensation.
At the April 1916 general conference
President Smith delivered a remarkable address, the thrust of which established
a theme for the next thirty months of his life, and most important for this
discussion, laid the foundation for his final doctrinal contribution—the Vision
of the Redemption of the Dead. In his opening sermon entitled "In the
Presence of the Divine," Joseph F. spoke of the nearness of the world of
spirits, and of the interest and concern for us and our labors exercised by
those who have passed beyond the veil. He stressed that those who labored so
diligently in their mortal estate to establish the cause of
In June of 1916 the First Presidency
and the Twelve released a doctrinal exposition in pamphlet form entitled
"The Father and the Son." This document was delivered to alleviate
doctrinal misunderstandings concerning the nature of the Godhead, and
specifically the role and scriptural designation of Jesus Christ as
"Father." fn
One of the most significant fruits of
this segment of time was a talk delivered by President Joseph F. Smith at a
Temple Fast Meeting in February of 1918, entitled "The Status of Children
in the Resurrection." In this address we gain not only an insight into the
power and prophetic stature of one schooled and prepared in doctrine; in
addition, we are allowed a brief glimpse into the heart of a noble father
who—having lost little ones to death and having mourned their absence—rejoices
in the sure knowledge that: (1) mortal children are immortal beings, spirits
who continue to live and progress beyond the veil; and (2) as taught by the
Prophet Joseph Smith, children will come forth from the grave as they lie
down—as children—and such persons will thereafter be nurtured and reared to
physical maturity by worthy parents. "O how I have been blessed with these
children," exulted President Smith, "and how happy I shall be to meet
them on the other side!" fn
Further evidence that the veil had
become thin for Joseph F. is to be found in his recording (on 7 April 1918) of
a dream/vision he had received many years earlier, while on his first mission
to Hawaii. The dream had served initially to strengthen the faith and build the
confidence of a lonely and weary fifteen-year-old on the slopes of Haleakala on
the island of Maui; it had, through the years that followed, served to chart a
course for Joseph F. and give to him the assurance that his labors were acceptable
to the Lord, and that he also had the approbation of his predecessors in the
presidency of the restored Church. In the dream young Joseph F. encountered his
uncle, the Prophet Joseph, and was fortified in his desire to remain free from
the taints of the world. In addition, he learned at an early age that the
separation between mortality and immortality is subtle, and that the Lord
frequently permits an intermingling of the inhabitants of the two spheres. fn
As finite man stands in the twilight
of life, he is occasionally able to view existence with divine perspective and
is thus capable of opening himself to the things of infinity. "If we live
our holy religion," President Brigham Young taught in 1862, "and let
the Spirit reign," the mind of man "will not become dull and stupid,
but as the body approaches dissolution the spirit takes a firmer hold on the
enduring substance behind the veil, drawing from the depths of that eternal
Fountain of Light sparkling gems of intelligence which surround the frail and sinking
tabernacle with a halo of immortal wisdom." fn This poignant principle was
demonstrated beautifully in the life of President Joseph F. Smith. Here was a
man who met death and sorrow and persecution with a quiet dignity, and thus
through participating in the fellowship of Christ's sufferings was made
acquainted with the things of God. On Thursday, 3 October 1918, President
Smith, largely confined to his room because of illness, sat meditating over
matters of substance. On this day the Prophet specifically began to read and
ponder upon the universal nature of the Atonement, and the Apostle Peter's
allusions to Christ's post-mortal ministry. The stage was set: preparation of a
lifetime and preparation of the moment were recompensed with a heavenly endowment—the
Vision of the Redemption of the Dead. In the words of the President: "As I
pondered over these things which are written, the eyes of my understanding were
opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I saw the hosts of the
dead, both small and great" (D&C 138:11).
Joseph F. Smith saw in vision
"an innumerable company of the spirits of the just," the righteous
dead from the days of Adam to the meridian of time. These all were anxiously
awaiting the advent of the Christ into their dimension of life, and were
exuberant in their anticipation of an imminent resurrection (vv. 12-17). Having
consummated the atoning sacrifice on
To the congregation of the righteous
the Lord appeared, and "their countenances shone, and the radiance from
the presence of the Lord rested upon them" (v. 24). President Smith
observed as the Lord taught "the everlasting gospel, the doctrine of the
resurrection and the redemption of mankind from the fall, and from individual
sins on conditions of repentance" (v. 19). In addition, Christ extended to
the righteous spirits "power to come forth, after his resurrection from
the dead, to enter into his Father's kingdom, there to be crowned with
immortality and eternal life" (v. 51).
It is while pondering the question of
how the Savior could have taught the gospel to so many in the spirit world in
so short a time (the time intervening between his death on Friday and his rise
from the tomb on Sunday morning) that President Smith received what may well be
the most significant doctrinal insight of the entire vision. The President came
to understand "that the Lord went not in person among the wicked and
disobedient"—those in hell—but rather "organized his forces and appointed
messengers, clothed with power and authority," that such representatives
might carry the message of the gospel "unto whom he [the Lord] could not
go personally, because of their rebellion and transgression" (vv. 20-22,
25-30, 37). The chosen messengers "declare the acceptable day of the
Lord." They carry the gospel message to those who had no opportunity in
mortality to accept or reject the truth, and also to those who rejected the
message on earth. These (who are visited by messengers) are taught the first
principles and ordinances of the gospel (including the vicarious nature of the
ordinances), in order that the inhabitants of the world of spirits might be
judged and rewarded by the same divine standards as those who inhabit the world
of mortals (vv. 31-34). The insight that Christ did not personally visit the
disobedient is a doctrinal matter introduced to the Church for the first time
in October of 1918 and does much to broaden our scope and answer questions with
regard to the work within that sphere.
By the power of the Holy Ghost
President Smith perceived the identity of many of the noble and great from the
beginning of time, including Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaiah, the Nephite
prophets before Christ, and many more. In addition, the President recognized Mother
Eve and many of her faithful daughters. Joseph F. had taught a number of years
earlier that women minister to women in the spirit world, even as they do in
holy places on earth. fn
It would appear at this point that
President Smith's vision shifted in time—from a first century A.D. gathering to
a scene of workers in the spirit world during the final gospel dispensation. A
change in time-frame is common in visions, as can be seen from the experiences
of Nephi (1 Ne. 13-14), John the Apostle (Rev. 11-12), and Joseph Smith
(D&C 76). President Smith saw in the spirit world his predecessors in the
presidency of the restored Church, and other noble leaders who played such a
critical role "in laying the foundations of the great latter-day work"
(vv. 53-54).
It may be that the vision shifted
again in time, allowing President Smith a glimpse into the pre-mortal world. He
observed that the great leaders of the latter-day Church were "among the
noble and great ones who were chosen in the beginning to be rulers in the
President Joseph F. Smith's vision
confirms another doctrine that had been taught by Joseph Smith: the faithful in
this life continue to teach and labor in the world of spirits in behalf of
those who know not God (v. 57). As recorded in George Laub's Journal under date
of 12 May 1844, the Prophet Joseph declared: "Now all those die in the
faith goe to the prison of Spirits to preach to the deaf in body, but they are
alive in the Spirit & those Spirits preach to the Spirits that they may
live according to god in the Spirit and men do minister for them in the
flesh" (sic). fn Joseph F. had taught this doctrine on a number of
occasions; fn here he became an eyewitness of the same.
Having laid before us his remarkable
vision—"a complete and comprehensive confirmation of the established
doctrine of the Church where salvation for the dead is concerned"
fn—President Smith climaxed his doctrinal contribution with testimony:
"Thus was the vision of the redemption of the dead revealed to me, and I
bear record, and I know that this record is true, through the blessing of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, even so. Amen" (v. 60).
The Vision of the Redemption of the
Dead was dictated by President Smith to his son—Joseph Fielding Smith—at the
close of the October 1918 conference. The vision was presented to the First
Presidency, Twelve, and Patriarch in a Council Meeting on Thursday, 31 October
1918. Because of his weakened condition, the President was not able to be in
attendance but asked Joseph Fielding to read the revelation to the gathered
general authorities. Note the following from the journal of Anthon H. Lund,
first counselor to President Smith: "In our Council Joseph F. Smith, Jr.
read a revelation which his father had had in which he saw the spirits in
Paradise and he also saw that Jesus organized a number of brethren to go and
preach to the spirits in prison, but did not go himself. It was an interesting
document and the apostles accepted it as true and from God." fn Elder
James E. Talmage of the Council of the Twelve Apostles recorded the following
in his personal journal:
Attended meeting of the First
Presidency and the Twelve. Today President Smith who is still confined to his
home by illness, sent to the Brethren the account of a vision through which, as
he states, were revealed to him important facts relating to the work of the
disembodied Savior in the realm of departed spirits, and of the missionary work
in progress on the other side of the veil. By united action the Council of the
Twelve, with the Counselors in the First Presidency, and the Presiding
Patriarch accepted and endorsed the revelation as the word of the Lord.
President Smith's signed statement will be published in the next issue
(December) of the Improvement Era, which is the organ of the Priesthood quorums
of the church. fn
The text of the vision first appeared
in the 30 November edition of the Deseret News. It was printed in the December
Improvement Era, and in the January 1919 editions of the Relief Society
Magazine, the Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, the Young
Women's Journal, and the Millennial Star.
President Smith's physical condition
worsened during the first weeks of November, 1918. On Sunday, 17 November he
was taken with an attack of pleurisy, which finally developed into
pleuropneumonia. Tuesday morning, 19 November 1918 his work in mortality was
completed. It was fitting that at the April 1919 general conference Elder James
E. Talmage should deliver the following touching and appropriate tribute to the
President. Elder Talmage asked: "Well, where is he now?" The apostle
answered: "He was permitted shortly before his passing to have a
glimpse into the hereafter, and to learn where he would soon be at work. He
was a preacher of righteousness on earth, he is a preacher of righteousness
today. He was a missionary from his boyhood up, and he is a missionary today
amongst those who have not yet heard the gospel, though they have passed from
mortality into the spirit world. I cannot conceive of him as otherwise than
busily engaged in the work of the Master." fn
Conclusion
The Lord loves all of his children
and desires that every soul have the privilege of participating in the
principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The doctrine of
salvation for the dead, given by revelation through Joseph Smith, and expanded
through a remarkable vision of Joseph F. Smith, broadens our own perspective
and points us toward the eternities. Joseph Smith's Vision of the
Notes Salvation Beyond the Grave
1. "Teach the Scriptures,"
in Charge to Religious Educators, 2nd ed. (Salt Lake City: Church
Educational System, 1982), p. 21; this is the text of a talk delivered to CES
personnel 14 October 1977, Salt Lake City.
2. See Milton V. Backman, Jr. and
Robert L. Millet, "Heavenly Manifestations in the
3. Ibid.; see also HC
2:378-80.
4. HC 5: 126.
5. Ibid., p. 247
6. Lucy Mack Smith, History of
Joseph Smith, Preston Nibley, ed. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1958), pp.
86-89.
7. Ibid., p. 88.
8. HC 5: 126-27.
9. See an interview with William
Smith by E. C. Briggs and J. W. Peterson, published in the Deseret News
(
10. HC 4:553.
11. Bruce R. McConkie, expressing the
sentiments of President Joseph Fielding Smith, in "The Salvation of Little
Children," Ensign, April 1977, p. 6.
12. HC 4:555-56.
13. McConkie, "The Salvation of
Little Children," pp. 5-6; see also Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of
Salvation, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-56), 2:54-57.
14. A report by Simon Baker in Journal
History, under date of 15 August 1840, LDS Church Archives; also in Andrew
F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, The Words of Joseph Smith (Provo, Ut.:
Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1980), p. 49; see also HC
4:231.
15. "Nauvoo Baptisms for the
Dead," Book A, Church Genealogical Society Archives, pp. 145, 149.
16. From Joseph Smith, Sr. Family
Group Sheet, Church Genealogical Society Archives.
17. "Joseph F. Smith, Conference
Report, October 1918, p. 2.
18. Joseph Fielding Smith, The
Life of Joseph F. Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1969), p.
466.
19. Ibid., p. 455.
20. Ibid., p. 474.
21. Ibid.
22. Conference Report April
1916, pp. 1-8.
23. See Improvement Era,
August 1916, pp. 93442; James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First
Presidency, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1971), 5:23-34.
24. Improvement Era, May 1918,
pp. 567-74;
25. Improvement Era, November
1919, pp. 16-17;
26. JD 9:288.
27. HC 5:425.
28. Bruce R. McConkie, "A New
Commandment: Save Thyself and Thy Kindred," Ensign, August 1976, p.
11.
29. See Joseph F. Smith, Young
Women's Journal 23 (1911): pp. 128-32; Gospel Doctrine (Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1971), p. 461.
30. Ehat and Cook, The Words of
Joseph Smith, p. 370.
31. See Gospel Doctrine, pp.
134-35, 460-61.
32. Bruce R. McConkie, "A New
Commandment: Save Thyself and Thy Kindred," Ensign, August 1976, p.
11.
33. Anthon H. Lund Journal, LDS
Church Archives,
34. James E. Talmage Journal, LDS
Church Archives,
35. Conference Report, April
1919, p. 60.
(Robert L.
Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine
and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 549.)Book Co.,
1989], 419.)
This was
the 1st revelation relative to the spirit world.
(
9 Therefore, there is a
time appointed unto men that they shall rise from the dead; and there is a
space between the time of death and the resurrection. And now, concerning this
space of time, what becometh of the souls of men is the thing which I have
inquired diligently of the Lord to know; and this is the thing of which I do
know.
10 And when the time
cometh when all shall rise, then shall they know that God knoweth all the times
which are appointed unto man.
11 Now, concerning the
state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made
known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are
departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be
good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.
12 And then shall it come
to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state
of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace,
where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
13 And then shall it come
to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they
have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil
works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them,
and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer
darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this
because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.
14 Now this is the state
of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful
looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they
remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of
their resurrection.
An angel
reveals the information to
He knows of
the division of Paradise and spirit prison, Satan has no influence in
Verse 12 –
The righteous (those right with the law) enter into baptismal covenants and
other covenants and honor them. They
enter paradise.
Verses 13-14 – The wicked or those
who have no part of the Spirit of the Lord, who choose evil works are captive
to the will of Satan. They remain in
this state until their resurrection.
BETWEEN DEATH AND RESURRECTION
Before discussing the doctrine of
resurrection and the law of restoration—the principle that all people will be
raised to that level of glory commensurate with the lives they lived in
mortality—Alma turned his attention to a discussion of the postmortal spirit
world, a matter he had "inquired diligently of the Lord to know"
(Alma 40:9Alma 40:9). He explained that, according to what he had been taught
by an angel, "the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from
this mortal body, yea, the spirits fn of all men, whether they be good or evil,
are taken home to that God who gave them life" (Alma 40:11). "Then
shall the dust return to the earth as it was," said the Preacher,
"and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it" (Ecclesiastes
12:7).
Both of these scriptural preachers
were speaking in broadest terms and should not be interpreted to mean that the
spirit—at the time of death—goes into the immediate presence of the Lord.
President Brigham Young explained that to speak of the spirit returning to the
God who gave it means that "when the spirits leave their bodies they are
in the presence of our Father and God" in the sense that they "are
prepared then to see, hear and understand spiritual things." fn To go into
the "presence" of God is not necessarily to be "placed within a
few yards or rods, or within a short distance of his person." fn President
George Q. Cannon explained: "Alma, when he says that 'the spirits of all
men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, . . . are taken home
to that God who gave them life,' has the idea, doubtless, in his mind that our
God is omnipresent—not in His own personality but through His minister, the
Holy Spirit. He does not intend to convey the idea that they are immediately
ushered into the personal presence of God. He evidently uses that phrase in a
qualified sense." fn
The transition from time into
eternity is immediate. As the physical self breathes its last breath, the
spirit self passes through a veil separating this world from the next. At this
point the spirit experiences what might be called a "partial judgment."
fn Those who have been true and faithful to their trust in mortality, Alma
explained, are received into paradise, "a state of rest, a state of
peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and
sorrow" (Alma 40:12). As I have written elsewhere, "those things
which burdened the obedient—the worldly cares and struggles, the vicissitudes
of this life—are shed with the physical body.
Those, on the other hand, who have
been wicked on earth—who gave themselves up to the lusts and lasciviousness of
the flesh—shall be received into that portion of the spirit world called hell
or outer darkness, fn a place of "weeping, and wailing, and
gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by
the will of the devil" (Alma 40:13). Joseph Smith explained: "The
great misery of departed spirits in the world of spirits, where they go after
death, is to know that they come short of the glory that others enjoy and that
they might have enjoyed themselves, and they are their own accusers." fn
On another occasion the Prophet taught: "A man is his own tormentor and
his own condemner. Hence the saying, They shall go into the lake that burns
with fire and brimstone. The torment of disappointment in the mind of man is as
exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the torment
of man." fn Hell is both a place—a part of the world of spirits where suffering
and sorrow and repentance take place—and a state—a condition of the mind
associated with remorseful realization. The righteous remain in paradise and
the wicked in hell until the time of their resurrection (see
(Robert L.
Millet, The Power of the Word: Saving Doctrines from the Book of Mormon
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994], 168.)
The Spirit World. Because the Bible has no clear
definition of resurrection, it is also without definition of the spirit world.
If it is not understood that in his final state man will enjoy the inseparable
union of body and spirit, there is no reason to raise the question as to what
becomes of the spirit of man from the time of death to the time of
resurrection.
(Joseph Fielding
McConkie and Robert L. Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 4
vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1987-1992], 1: 13.)
D&C 138 – Joseph F. Smith was
born in
(Doctrine and Covenants 138:13.)
13
And who had offered sacrifice in the similitude of the great sacrifice of the
Son of God, and had suffered tribulation in their Redeemer's name.
We submit all to
the building up of the Lord’s kingdom.
Leviticus 1 – The order of
sacrifice:
- Head – Intellect, study, mind
- Fat – Energy
- Innards – Heart, emotions
- Legs – Course of ones life
- Carcass – Our all to the kingdom
(Doctrine and Covenants
138:18-27.)
18 While this vast
multitude waited and conversed, rejoicing in the hour of their deliverance from
the chains of death, the Son of God appeared, declaring liberty to the captives
who had been faithful;
19 And there he preached
to them the everlasting gospel, the doctrine of the resurrection and the
redemption of mankind from the fall, and from individual sins on conditions of
repentance.
20 But unto the wicked he
did not go, and among the ungodly and the unrepentant who had defiled
themselves while in the flesh, his voice was not raised;
21 Neither did the
rebellious who rejected the testimonies and the warnings of the ancient
prophets behold his presence, nor look upon his face.
22 Where these were,
darkness reigned, but among the righteous there was peace;
23 And the saints rejoiced
in their redemption, and bowed the knee and acknowledged the Son of God as
their Redeemer and Deliverer from death and the chains of hell.
24 Their countenances
shone, and the radiance from the presence of the Lord rested upon them, and
they sang praises unto his holy name.
25 I marveled, for I
understood that the Savior spent about three years in his ministry among the
Jews and those of the house of
26 And yet,
notwithstanding his mighty works, and miracles, and proclamation of the truth,
in great power and authority, there were but few who hearkened to his voice,
and rejoiced in his presence, and received salvation at his hands.
27 But his ministry among
those who were dead was limited to the brief time intervening between the
crucifixion and his resurrection;
The Savior
went to the righteous to organize the work in the spirit world.
(Doctrine and Covenants
138:30-37.)
30 But behold, from among
the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with
power and authority, and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of
the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all the spirits of men; and
thus was the gospel preached to the dead.
31 And the chosen
messengers went forth to declare the acceptable day of the Lord and proclaim
liberty to the captives who were bound, even unto all who would repent of their
sins and receive the gospel.
32 Thus was the gospel
preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth,
or in transgression, having rejected the prophets.
33 These were taught faith
in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the
gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands,
34 And all other
principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to
qualify themselves that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but
live according to God in the spirit.
35 And so it was made
known among the dead, both small and great, the unrighteous as well as the
faithful, that redemption had been wrought through the sacrifice of the Son of
God upon the cross.
36 Thus was it made known
that our Redeemer spent his time during his sojourn in the world of spirits,
instructing and preparing the faithful spirits of the prophets who had testified
of him in the flesh;
37 That they might carry
the message of redemption unto all the dead, unto whom he could not go
personally, because of their rebellion and transgression, that they through the
ministration of his servants might also hear his words.
The
righteous are appointed as messengers to go forth to carry the gospel to those
in darkness; they are the best forces to get them back. They preach to the captives who would repent
of their sins and receive the gospel.
There are those who died in their sins without knowledge of the truth or
they rejected the prophets.
They are
taught the Plan of Salvation, the 4 principles of the gospel, and other
necessary principles and ordinances to qualify themselves for eternal
glory. All of these are done because of
the Atonement of Christ. Our Savior
instructed and organized the faithful saints to carry the message to all the dead to whom He could
not go personally.
2nd
Estate = Mortality & Spirit World (Paradise and Spirit Prison) There is
much growth and development in
In speaking at the funeral for Judge
Elias Higbee on 13 August 1843, the Prophet stated: "That which hath been
hid from before the foundation of the world is revealed to babes and sucklings
in the last days. The world is reserved unto burning in the last days. He shall
send Elijah the prophet, and he shall reveal the covenants of the fathers in
relation to the children, and the covenants of the children in relation to the
fathers." He referred to the four angels of Revelation 7, described in
modern revelation as "four angels sent forth from God, to whom is given
power over the four parts of the earth, to save life and to destroy; these are
they who have the everlasting gospel to commit to every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people; having power to shut up the heavens, to seal up unto
life, or to cast down to the regions of darkness" (D&C 77:8;
emphasis added). The Prophet then declared: "Four destroying angels
holding power over the four quarters of the earth until the servants of God are
sealed in their foreheads, which signifies sealing the blessing upon their
heads, meaning the everlasting covenant, thereby making their calling and
election sure. When a seal is put upon the father and mother, it secures
their posterity, so that they cannot be lost, but will be saved by virtue of
the covenant of their father and mother" (Smith, Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, 320-21; emphasis added).
Howard and Martha Coray recorded that
same sermon as follows: "God shall send unto them Elijah the prophet and
he shall reveal unto them the covenants of the fathers with relation to the
children and the covenants of the children in relation to the Fathers that they
may have the privilege of entering into the same in order to effect their
mutual salvation" (Smith, Words of Joseph Smith, 240; punctuation
and spelling standardized). Franklin D. Richards recorded the Prophet's words
as follows: "Judge Higbee would say that covenants either there or here
must be made in view of eternity. The covenant sealed on the foreheads of
the parents secured the children from falling [and] that they shall all sit
upon thrones as one with the godhead, joint heirs of God with Jesus
Christ" (Smith, Words of Joseph Smith, 241; emphasis added and
punctuation and spelling standardized).
What does this mean? To what degree
can righteous parents, fathers and mothers who have entered into and kept
sacred covenants, affect and effect the salvation of their posterity? President
Brigham Young taught: "Let the father and mother, who are members of this
Church and kingdom, take a righteous course, and strive with all their might
never to do a wrong, but to do good all their lives; if they have one child or
one hundred children, if they conduct themselves towards them as they should,
binding them to the Lord by their faith and prayers, I care not where those
children go, they are bound up to their parents by an everlasting tie, and
no power on earth or hell can separate them from their parents in eternity;
they will return again to the fountain from whence they sprang" (in Journal
of Discourses, 11:215; emphasis added). We think of the sufferings and
pleadings of Alma the Elder and his wife and remember the words of the angel to
the wandering son: "Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people,
and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed
with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge
of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the
power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered
according to their faith" (Mosiah 27:14).
William Clayton's account of the
Prophet Joseph's funeral address contains the following: "When speaking of
the passage 'I will send Elijah the prophet etc.,' he said it should read: 'And
he shall turn the hearts of the children to the covenant made with their
fathers'" (Smith, Words of Joseph Smith, 241-42; punctuation
standardized). We believe that those who are faithful in their first estate
come to the earth with certain predispositions to receive and embrace the
truth. The Prophet himself declared that those of the house of
Similarly, we have no difficulty
speaking of the "spirit of Elijah" reaching out, touching, directing,
and impelling individuals to search out their dead and perform the saving ordinances.
Why should we have difficulty believing that the power of the covenant will
reach out, touch, redirect, and impel the wandering sheep? Could that power be
indeed the same spirit of Elijah, the spirit that turns the hearts of the
children to the covenant made with their fathers?
Elder Orson F. Whitney taught powerfully: "You parents of the
wilful and the wayward! Don't give them up. Don't cast them off. They are not
utterly lost. The Shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were
yours——long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love
them as he loves them. They have but strayed in ignorance from the Path of
Right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fulness of knowledge brings
the fulness of accountability. Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful,
infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the
Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds
can comprehend.
"The Prophet Joseph Smith declared——and he never taught more
comforting doctrine——that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the
divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would
save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of
the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later
they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and
drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or in the life to come,
they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will
suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at
last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father's heart and
home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless
and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on,
till you see the salvation of God" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1929, 110;
emphasis added).
In our own day, Elder Boyd K. Packer
has provided a comforting context and reaffirmation for the promise to faithful
parents: "It is a great challenge to raise a family in the darkening mists
of our moral environment.
"We emphasize that the greatest
work you will do will be within the walls of your home (see Harold B. Lee, in
Conference Report, April 1973, p. 130), and that 'no other success can
compensate for failure in the home' (see David O. McKay, in Conference Report,
April 1935, p. 116).
"The measure of our success
as parents, however, will not rest solely on how our children turn out. That
judgment would be just only if we could raise our families in a perfectly moral
environment, and that now is not possible.
"It is not uncommon for
responsible parents to lose one of their children, for a time, to influences
over which they have no control. They agonize over rebellious sons and
daughters. They are puzzled over why they are so helpless when they have tried
so hard to do what they should. It is my conviction that those wicked
influences one day will be overruled. . . .
"We cannot overemphasize the
value of temple marriage, the binding ties of the sealing ordinance, and the
standards of worthiness required of them. When parents keep the covenants
they have made at the altar of the temple, their children will be forever bound
to them" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1992, 94-95; emphasis added).
(Robert L.
Millet, When a Child Wanders [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1996],
111 - 112.)
The Spirit World
Often Church
members suffer from a lack of perspective, perhaps understandably, as to the
vastness and intensity of the Lord's work in the spirit world. The scope is
enormous! Demographers estimate that some sixty to seventy billion people have
lived on this planet thus far. Without diminishing in any way the importance of
the absolutely vital and tandem work on this side of the veil, we do need a
better grasp of "things as they really will be" (Jacob 4:13).
Otherwise, we can so easily come to regard family history as a quaint hobby and
its resulting temple work as something we will get around to later.
Not only
does the word vastness characterize the work there but so does intensity. Of
course, we still lack many details and would like to know more. Even so, we
ought to pay closer attention to what has been given about the spirit world so
that we can truly "cite [our] minds forward" in appropriate ways (
Let us begin
with paradise and
"And
then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are
received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest,
a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all
care, and sorrow" (Alma 40:12).
Some derive
from these words that rest means no work and merely languid passivity. In fact,
the rest described is from the troubles, cares, and sorrows of this world.
To begin
with, a certain peacefulness and restfulness will occur in paradise, because
the faithful will see things with a more complete, restful, and reassuring
perspective. Nonetheless, the faithful will soon be caught up fully and be
"anxiously engaged” in the vast work underway in all the spirit world
(D&C 58:27). So many of the cares and demands of the world which press upon
us here and now, including doing the chores of this world, will not dominate us
there. Hence, paradise will be, comparatively, "a state of peace."
Furthermore, the spirit body will not suffer certain of the ills and
constraints which now beset the mortal body. The result will be added
zestfulness there, as described by Elder John Taylor:
"[Death]
this dark shadow and valley is so trifling . . . [one is] passed from a state
of sorrow [and] grief, . . . into a state of existence where I can enjoy life
to the fullest extent as far as that can be done without a body. . . . I thirst
no more, I want to sleep no more, I hunger no more, I tire no more, I run, I
walk, I labor, . . . nothing like pain or weariness, I am full of life, full of
vigor."1
Further
illustrative of the consuming scope and intensity of the work there is the
following exchange between the martyred Prophet Joseph Smith and President
Wilford Woodruff:
"Joseph
Smith continued visiting myself. . . . He said he could not stop to talk with
me because he was in a hurry. . . . I saw the Prophet again. . . .
"'Now,'
said I, 'I want to know why you are in a hurry. I have been in a hurry all my
life; but I expected my hurry would be over when I got into the kingdom of
heaven, if I ever did.'
"Joseph
said: ' . . . Every dispensation . . . has had a certain amount of work to do .
. . Each dispensation has had ample time. . . . We have not. We are the last
dispensation, and so much work has to be done, and we need to be in a hurry in
order to accomplish it.'"2
The work
being done there with such intensity, however, is not a random, hectic, and
disorganized thing. Instead, unsurprisingly, it proceeds in a very orderly
manner. Following is an account by President Heber C. Kimball, reflecting
earlier conversations among members of the First Presidency Brigham Young,
Heber C. Kimball, and Jedediah M. Grant given at President Grant's funeral in
December 1856:
"[Brother Grant] said to me,
brother Heber, I have been into the spirit world two nights in succession, and,
of all the dreads that ever came across me, the worst was to have to again
return to my body, though I had to do it. But O, says he, the order and
government that were there! When in the spirit world, I saw the order of
righteous men and women; beheld them organized in their several grades, and
there appeared to be no obstruction to my vision; I could see every man and
woman in their grade and order. I looked to see whether there was any disorder
there, but there was none; neither could I see any death nor any darkness,
disorder or confusion. He said that the people he there saw were organized in
family capacities; and when he looked at them he saw grade after grade, and all
were organized and in perfect harmony. . . . 'Why, it is just as brother
Brigham says it is; it is just as he has told us many a time. . . .'
"He saw the righteous gathered
together in the spirit world, and there were no wicked spirits among them. . .
.
"'To my astonishment,' he said,
'when I looked at families there was a deficiency in some, there was a lack,
for I saw families that would not be permitted to come and dwell together,
because they had not honored their calling here.'"3 Families do not guarantee automatic
individual salvation.
The vastness
of the work in the spirit world of preaching the gospel is confirmed in the
1918 vision of President Joseph F. Smith, which was accepted by the Church in
1976 as a revelation. That work is proceeding, "even to all the spirits of
men" (D&C 138:30). Billions and billions of them!
Likewise,
although Jesus did not personally go among the wicked, He organized His work so
it could go forward there, "even to all." Consider, however, Jesus'
glorious welcome in paradise:
"While
this vast multitude waited and conversed, rejoicing in the hour of their
deliverance from the chains of death, the Son of God appeared, declaring
liberty to the captives who had been faithful; . . .
"And
the saints rejoiced in their redemption, and bowed the knee and acknowledged
the Son of God as their Redeemer and Deliverer from death and the chains of
hell.
"Their
countenances shone, and the radiance from the presence of the Lord rested upon
them, and they sang praises unto his holy name" (D&C 138:18, 23-24).
Therefore,
an interesting constituency awaits us, such as those "who had died in
their sins, without a knowledge of the truth" (D&C 138:32). This group
is obviously very large!
None is to
be left out, however, even those in the spirit prison who once "rejected
the prophets" or who are there "because of their rebellion and
transgression, that they through the ministration of his servants might also
hear his words" (D&C 138:32, 37).
What are all
individuals to hear and to be taught?
"These
were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the
remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands,
"And
all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in
order to qualify themselves that they might be judged according to men in the
flesh, but live according to God in the spirit" (D&C 138:33-34).
Understandably
emphasized is vicarious baptism for the dead, because that ordinance is
absolutely essential for their cleansing and salvation. Furthermore, the recipients
can thereby qualify to become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints by developing sufficient faith and also by showing sufficient
repentance in the spirit world.
Typically,
in that connection, we here do not emphasize as much the other essential part
of what can happen vicariously confirming Church membership and the bestowal of
the great gift of the Holy Ghost. Because the accompanying and essential
ordinances remain to be accomplished vicariously on our side of the veil, it would
be well if more of the intensity characteristic of work in the spirit world
were displayed by us in mortality. Indeed, the gifts of the Holy Ghost also
help recipients there to lend a hand and to function more effectively in the
spirit world after they are empowered by the vicariously given gift of the Holy
Ghost!
President
Brigham Young described further the spirit world:
"They
do not pass out of the organization of this earth on which we live. . . . But
where is the spirit world? It is incorporated within this celestial
system."4
President
Young also stated: "Is the spirit world here? It is not beyond the sun,
but is on this earth that was organized for the people that have lived and that
do and will live upon it. No other people can have it, and we can have no other
kingdom until we are prepared to inhabit this eternally."5
The Prophet
Joseph said: "When men are prepared, they are better off to go hence. . .
. The spirits of the just are exalted to a greater and more glorious work;
hence they are blessed in their departure to the world of spirits. Enveloped in
flaming fire, they are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts,
feelings, and motions, and are often pained therewith."6
Brigham
Young further observed as to the associational groupings there: "Yes,
brethren, they are there together, and if they associate together, and collect
together in clans and in societies as they do here, it is their privilege. No
doubt they yet, more or less, see, hear, converse, and have to do with each other,
both good and bad."7
Clearly,
there are many other questions to which we do not have detailed answers. But,
as has been set forth, we know considerable about the essential things: (1) the
vastness of the work there, (2) its intensity, (3) its inclusiveness by sharing
the gospel with all, (4) the orderliness with which the Lord carries out His
work of mercy and justice in the spirit world, (5) the special status of those
who are in paradise, (6) how those who may be emancipated from the spirit prison
can then help to accomplish this work, and (7) the grouping together of people
in what may have been some natural associations here that will persist there.
Sometimes in
the Church we speak imprecisely at funerals and otherwise as if individuals who
die go immediately to the celestial kingdom and are at once in the full
presence of God. We tend to overlook the reality that the spirit world and
paradise are part, really, of the second estate. The work of the Lord, so far
as the second estate is concerned, is completed before the Judgment and the
Resurrection.
Since those
who go to the celestial kingdom include, as revealed, those who "overcome
by faith" (D&C 76:53), the same efforts and triumph would need to
occur in the spirit world before they receive resurrection and the entitlement
to enter the celestial kingdom.
The veil of
forgetfulness of the first estate apparently will not be suddenly,
automatically, and totally removed at the time of our temporal death. This
veil, a condition of our entire second estate, is associated with and is part
of our time of mortal trial, testing, proving, and overcoming by faith and thus
will continue in some key respects into the spirit world.
Yet, do
people who have been wicked and agnostic, when they pass through the veil of
death, suddenly and fully realize that there is, in spite of their earlier
skepticism, life beyond the grave? Do they thus have an advantage over those
who have had to develop faith in mortality concerning that prospect? If, for
instance, the same attitudes with which we die persist, then there will be no
automatic or immediate flip-flop into a totally different way of thinking. Such
can occur there, just as it does here, upon our accepting the gospel and
responding with both faith and repentance (
Surely those
just and honorable mortals who have done so well here with the light they have
received are the most likely to respond in paradise and the spirit world, when
the fulness of the light of the gospel is given to them there. Consider the
comments of the Prophet Joseph Smith about the important role of spiritual
knowledge:
"Knowledge
does away darkness, suspense and doubt, for where Knowledge is there is no
doubt nor suspense nor darkness. There is no pain so awful as the pain of
suspense. This is the condemnation of the wicked; their doubt and anxiety and
suspense causes weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth."8
The
"pain of suspense" apparently will necessarily operate to some extent
in the spirit prison because of uncertaintyalong with a price to be paid as
part of repentance for transgressions. The Prophet Joseph also said:
"A man
is his own tormentor and his own condemner. Hence the saying, They shall go
into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. The torment of disappointment
in the mind of man is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I
say, so is the torment of man."9
The word
prison carries with it the connotation of "a state of confinement,"
including a conceptual confinement. The Prophet Joseph Smith said, for
instance, that God has "made ample provision for their redemption,
according to their several circumstances . . . whether in this world, or in the
world to come."10 Surely that declaration is emancipatory!
The Prophet
also consoled: "God has administrators in the eternal world to release
those spirits from Prison. The ordinances being administered by proxy upon
them, the law is fulfilled."11
Likewise,
the Prophet, when speaking of us and our chance to become "saviors . . .
on
The Prophet
Joseph declared that those who die in the faith in turn preach to those who
have died "that they may live according to God in the Spirit and men do
minister for them in the flesh and angels bear the glad tidings to the spirits
and they are made happy by these means."13
Thus, we see
from what is presently known concerning the work in the spirit world that its
scope is enormous and its intensity real. Its justice and mercy reflect
Heavenly Father's plan of salvation. But missionary work is work both here and
there, though the latter proceeds on a much larger scale. We will surely have
ample opportunities for service beyond the veil, when that time comes to each
of us!
How marvelous
it is that Heavenly Father gives to all full and generous recognition for all
their good deeds and all their good qualities. Thus, we can all be judged
justly out of the "book of life" (Revelation 20:12). Yet, God still
requires of all obedience to His doctrines, ordinances, and covenants.
Nicodemus, one of the best, was nevertheless told that no man shall enter the
kingdom of heaven except he shall be born again (John 3:5). Jesus' baptism, and
He was the Best, showed us His obedience and submissiveness to the Father with
regard to that essential ordinance (2 Nephi 31:5-7). He, who might have been an
exception, nevertheless pointed the way! The ordinances of salvation apply to
all.
Thus, if not
on this side of the veil, then in the spirit world to come, the gospel will be
preached to all, including all transgressors, rebels, and rejectors of
prophets, along with all those billions who died without a knowledge of the
gospel (D&C 138).
The mercy of
God will finally overpower justice for all. God gave agency to all. He extends
His long-suffering to all, as He did in the days of Noah. He further reminds
us, in the parable of the wheat and the tares, of the need for restraint and
patience regarding the Second Coming (Matthew 13:29; D&C 38:12). To that
very end, the Father determines the timing as to when the angels of heaven come
down in judgment on the world.
He gave us
our spirit birth, bringing the first estate to all. He gave the gift to us of
mortality, or the second estate, where all might be "added upon,"
leaving one-third of the host free to be rebels! (Abraham 3:26; Revelation
12:4). He provides in the spirit world a continuum of mortality's probation,
the great opportunity for all.
The specific
desires of our individual hearts will finally and ultimately be granted to all.
How can we complain? Because He is a loving Father, at Judgment Day, all those
who have lived without God in the world will acknowledge that God is God and
all will acknowledge that God is just!
"Oh how
great [is] the plan of our God!" (2 Nephi 9:13).
But how
little, really, we would know of that divine plan without the Prophet of the
Restoration, Joseph Smith!
Notes
1.
"Discourse," 1.
2.
Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, 288-89.
3. Journal
of Discourses, 4:135-36.
4. Journal
of Discourses, 3:368.
5. Journal
of Discourses, 3:372.
6. Teachings
of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 326.
7. Journal
of Discourses, 2:137.
8. Ehat and
Cook, Words of Joseph Smith, 183
.
9. History
of the Church, 6:314.
10.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 220.
11. Ehat and
Cook, Words of Joseph Smith, 372; punctuation standardized.
12.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 223.
13. Ehat and
Cook, Words of Joseph Smith, 370; spelling and punctuation standardized.
(The Promise
of Discipleship) Elder Neal A. Maxwell
Millennium
- Terrestrial mortals ( Live and
die in a twinkling)
- Resurrected beings
- Celestial
- Terrestrial
Resurrection
is a priesthood ordinance, keys are needed to perform.
Receiving
ordinances will release them from Spirit Prison to move on to
Malachi
December 14, 2006
Malachi =
my messenger
Christ
quoted the last 2 chapters to the Nephites so they had a record of his
prophesies.
He lived
during the time of Nehemiah around 440-420 BC, during the intertestamental
period. The exiled community has
returned and is struggling; they are disillusioned and question God’s love for
them. The also question their own righteousness;
they aren’t keeping the Law of Moses as strictly as they should and are
marrying outside of the covenant.
Chapters
3-4 = Prophesies for the latter days.
THE BOOK OF MALACHI
RICHARD D. DRAPER
To the Nephites and Lamanites the
risen Savior quoted sections of the prophecies of Malachi, stating that the
Father himself had commanded him to do so. The reason, he stated, was
"that they should be given unto future generations" (3 Ne. 24:1;
26:2). Those generations were the righteous children of Lehi who established
the perfect society after the coming of the Lord. fn Those people needed the
words of Malachi in order to understand the new dimension which the work of the
Lord took, now that he had fulfilled his mortal mission. Up to this time most
of the preparation had been for his first coming. From that point on, it would
be for his second. The words of Malachi reveal not only key events but also the
nature of the work that would prepare for that coming. Therefore, the Savior
used the words of Malachi as the basis on which he expounded "all things
which should come upon the face of the earth, even until the elements should
melt with fervent heat, and the earth should be wrapt together as a scroll, and
the heavens and the earth should pass away" (3 Ne. 26:3).
Further emphasizing the importance of
the writings of Malachi was the angel
The exact dates of Malachi's ministry
are not known. From his written work it is clear that the temple had been
rebuilt and the ordinances involving animal sacrifice were being performed.
This places his ministry after 515 B.C., the year when the temple was
dedicated. The abuses he castigated were the among those that the reforms of
Ezra and Nehemiah were designed to correct. Because those reforms do not appear
to have been in effect yet in Malachi's day, it is likely that his writings
precede them. Therefore, his ministry would fall before 458 B.C., and was
probably closer to 500 B.C. fn Malachi's name is unique in the Hebrew cannon.
It means "my messenger," or "my angel," but it may be a
shortened form of "the Lord's messenger." fn Although we know very
little about him and his life's history, latter-day revelation makes it clear
that he was an important individual who labored with Judah as one of her great
prophets (D&C 138:46).
The Dishonor of
One of the main problems faced by
Malachi was the lack of faith the Jews felt toward Jehovah. This problem
expressed itself in four specific ways: questioning the Lord's love, offering
impure sacrifices, marrying outside the covenant, and lack of diligence in
keeping the commandments. The prophet addressed each of these.
The Lord gave the Jews evidence of
his love for them.
In the meantime,
It appears that
The Coming Purification (Mal. 3:1-4)
The people had wearied the Lord with
their claim that he delighted in evil because he had not come out against their
enemies (Mal. 2:17). They ignored their own faithlessness and insisted that a
good God would have done something to avenge them. Malachi warned them that the
full vindication of the Lord's righteousness would be revealed in the Day of
Judgment. But if the Jews expected the Day of Judgment to come in their own
generation, they were very mistaken. Like so many Old Testament prophecies,
Malachi's would take millennia to be fulfilled.
A key to understanding Malachi 3:1-4
is in identifying the messenger who would herald the day of judgment. fn The
Savior identified John the Baptist as that messenger: "For this is he, of
whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare
thy way before thee" (Matt. 11:10). John's excellent service during the
Lord's mortal ministry fulfilled the prophecy but only in part, because the
context of the prophecy is with Jesus' second coming. John seems to have
understood that his role would extend beyond his mortal ministry. When asked
who he was, he stated, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias" (John
1:23), referring to Isaiah 40:3. The context of Isaiah's words, like Malachi's,
does not correspond with the events of the first coming of the Lord. They
speak, rather, of the second, when "the glory of the Lord shall be
revealed, and all flesh shall see it together" (Isa. 40:5). John would
thus be the Lord's messenger twice, once to prepare the way for his first
coming and then again for his second. The latter-day fulfillment was when John
bestowed his powers upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, allowing them and
those whom they commissioned to be further messengers in preparing the way for
the Lord. fn Perhaps the prophecy will be, or has been, fulfilled in other ways
as well. fn
Malachi noted that two important
events would yet transpire: the Lord would come to his temple (Mal. 3:1), and
the sons of Levi would be purified and then make an acceptable offering before
the Lord (Mal. 3:3).
The Lord came suddenly to his temple
on 3 April 1836, as described in Doctrine and Covenants 110. fn His coming
inaugurated the great latter-day work of the house of the Lord: "This is the
beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my
people," he proclaimed (D&C 110:10). His appearance was followed by
that of others, including Elijah, whose coming fulfilled another prophecy in
Malachi (D&C 110:13-16; Mal. 4:5-6).
As seen in chapters 1 and 2, much of
the message of Malachi concerns the unrighteousness of the Levites, who had
violated the priesthood stewardship with which the Lord had blessed them and
had brought their ministry under a curse (Mal. 2:2, 8). It is thus significant
that a later son of Levi, John the Baptist, would be foretold in Malachi's
record. John's ministry typified the lesser priesthood perfectly, since it
would "prepare the way before" the greater ministry which was to come
(Mal. 3:1).
But Malachi had more to say about the
future of the sons of Levi. The Lord would yet purify them collectively and
accept a righteous offering at their hand (Mal. 3:3-4). How will the sons of
Levi be purified? In the same way that the sons of Ephraim, the sons of Lehi,
and the Gentiles are purified: by forsaking their sins and the false traditions
of their fathers, by accepting the gospel, and by being baptized into The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How will they "offer unto the
Lord an offering in righteousness"? (Mal. 3:3). Joseph Smith, speaking
concerning Malachi 3:3, taught that in order for "the restitution of all
things" to be complete, the ordinance of animal sacrifice must be
"fully restored." It "will be continued when the Priesthood is
restored with all its authority, power and blessings." "Then shall
the sons of Levi offer an acceptable offering to the Lord." This will take
place, he said, "when the
The Lord's Challenge (Mal. 3:5-18)
After showing how the offerings of
the sons of Levi will become acceptable to the Lord in the last days, Malachi
turned to the evil practices of his own day. He promised
To the question, "Wherein shall
we return?" the Lord responded by specifying that they start by offering
unto him tithes, which are his due (Lev. 27:30; Num. 18:21). As in every
dispensation, this was a demand for faith.
"With Healing in His Wings" (Mal. 4)
Malachi again turned to the future
day of judgment. He noted that it would be a day of distress, devastation, and
sorrow for the wicked (Mal. 4:1). The major cause of the anguish would be that
wickedness would no longer prevail. Indeed, the wicked will be consumed from
off the face of the earth at the time of the Savior's great coming. fn But for
the righteous, it will be a great day of deliverance and joy in which they will
at last prevail against those who oppress them (Mal. 4:2-3).
But once again the prophet noted that
the great day would be preceded by the coming of one sent from God (Mal.
4:5-6). This was to be Elijah. His mission would be twofold: first, to restore
certain priesthood keys, and second, to plant in the hearts of the children the
promises made to their forefathers, such that the hearts of the children would
be drawn to their fathers. fn Elijah has already come to fulfill Malachi's
words. He appeared in the
The keys which Elijah restored are
most significant. They rounded out those already received so that the
priesthood could then function in its fullness. fn One of the blessings that
grew out of this power was eternal marriage and the resultant blessing of the
sealing of children to parents. By extension, it also allowed generations to be
linked together back over the course of the history of the earth. The blessings
of the gospel and the sealing power are thus granted to those righteous people
who were born during periods of apostasy. A byproduct of this process is that
those on the earth are sealed to those in heaven and can draw assistance from
them. fn
So important is this work that the
whole purpose of the earth would be frustrated if it were not done. Modern
revelation explains why. Each generation needs to be welded to the one before
it, such that a whole, complete, and perfect union can be made. One of the first
things necessary for that union is the organization of the righteous from every
dispensation into one eternal family. In this way all the keys, powers, and
glories from the days of Adam to the present are brought together to prepare
the earth for the return of its great King (see D&C 128:18). In a very real
way, the dead cannot be made perfect without their latter-day descendants doing
the necessary temple work. Similarly, those living in the last days cannot
receive all the power necessary for salvation until the links are fully
complete. The fathers were promised that their posterity must save them in
order to save themselves. As the children come to understand how dependent they
are upon the fathers, their hearts turn to them. As the welding links are fully
formed, the family of God is established and prepared for exaltation. In this
way the earth fulfills its purpose.
The prophecies of Malachi show the
responsibility that the prophets of the former day and the Saints of the latter
day have in the work of the Lord. They testify to the dependence each
generation of righteous people has on those who came before and those who will
come after. But most of all, Malachi's words testify of the glorious work of
God in the salvation of all his children.
Notes
Richard D. Draper is assistant
professor of ancient scripture at
Footnotes
1. It is doubtful that the Lord was
referring to any other people. For those living in the last days, the writings
of Malachi have been preserved in the Bible. The essential purity of the
biblical text of Malachi is attested in the Book of Mormon by Joseph Smith's
translation of the Savior's quotations, which uses the same language as that in
the KJV. It would seem, therefore, that the Savior intended his transmission of
the text to be for the Nephites. The preservation of Malachi's text in two sets
of scriptures, like that of Isaiah, underscores its importance.
2. For discussion, see Kent P.
Jackson, "The Appearance of Moroni to Joseph Smith," in Studies in
Scripture, Volume Two: The
3. For a discussion of the dating of
the ministry of Malachi, see R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament
(Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1969), pp. 960-61.
4. For discussion, see D. Guthrie, The
New Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1970), p. 806.
5. The Arabs were successful in
taking over
6. Jehovah had specifically forbidden
the practice for this very reason (see Ex. 34:15-16; Deut. 7:3-4), and the
history of
7. See the discussion by
8. JS-H 1:68-72; D&C 13. Of these
commissioned messengers, none would be greater than Joseph Smith himself, who
was the prophet of the Restoration and was specifically commissioned to prepare
the way for the second coming of the Lord.
9. See
10. See Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines
of Salvation, 3 vols., comp. Bruce R. McConkie (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft,
1954-56), 3:12-13. It is likely that the prophecy in Mal. 3:1 is not limited
solely to that appearance. See Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2d
ed. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), pp. 693-94.
11. Joseph Smith, History of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols., 2d ed. rev., edited
by B. H. Roberts (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1957), 4:211. See also
Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph
Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938), pp. 172-73.
12. See Smith, Doctrines of
Salvation, 3:93-94; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 666; Bruce R.
McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, 4 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1979-81), 1:128. For another interpretation, see Sidney B. Sperry, The Voice
of Israel's Prophets (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1952), pp. 438-39.
13. From the reading of this verse in
JS-H 1:37, it appears that the wicked will be destroyed by the glory of those
who come with Christ. This verse (Mal. 4:1) is referred to three times in the
Doctrine and Covenants (29:9; 64:23; 133:64), which gives some indication of
the importance of this event. See the discussion of Mal. 4:1-4 in Jackson,
"The Appearance of Moroni," pp. 350-52.
14. This verse was significantly
altered by
15. Joseph Smith taught that Elijah
brought the power for revelation, ordinances, and endowments of the fulness of
the Melchizedek Priesthood. See Smith, History of the Church, 6:250-51.
16. Ibid., 6:252.
(Kent P.
Jackson, ed., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 4: 1 Kings to Malachi [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1993], 365.)
(Malachi 1:2-9.)
The burden of the word of the LORD to
2 I have loved you, saith
the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's
brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,
3 And I hated Esau, and
laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
4 Whereas Edom saith, We
are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith
the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call
them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath
indignation for ever.
5 And your eyes shall see,
and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of
6 ¶ A son honoureth his
father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is
mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the
LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein
have we despised thy name?
7 Ye offer polluted bread
upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The
table of the LORD is contemptible.
8 And if ye offer the
blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is
it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee,
or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.
9 And now, I pray you,
beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means:
will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.
Does God
love His people? He hates sin and wickedness;
He hates that which is against His kingdom because it is a destroyer of His
kingdom and His children. The examples of Esau and
The priests
despised His name and offered polluted bread and sacrifices, they were
blemished not pure, their intent and motives were wrong.
They
honored son to father, servant to master, but didn’t honor God. We honor God by building up His kingdom and
doing His purposes.
You want
God to be gracious when your motives are not pure, you aren’t doing your
priesthood duties in a righteous way and the people notice your unrighteous
example and you are pulling them down.
They are taking upon themselves the name of God in vain (treating holy
things lightly).
(Malachi 2:1-10.)
1 And now, O ye priests,
this commandment is for you.
2 If ye will not hear, and
if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the
LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your
blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to
heart.
3 Behold, I will corrupt
your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn
feasts; and one shall take you away with it.
4 And ye shall know that I
have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith
the LORD of hosts.
5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them
to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my
name.
6 The law of truth was in
his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace
and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
7 For the priest's lips
should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is
the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
8 But ye are departed out
of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the
covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
9 Therefore have I also
made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not
kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.
10 Have we not all one
father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man
against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
The priests
are reproved for not keeping their covenants and teaching the people
righteousness. There isn’t unity between
the priests, people and God.
God hates
sin but He shows great love and patience for the people (
(Doctrine and Covenants
42:46-47.)
46 And it shall come to
pass that those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet
unto them;
47 And they that die not
in me, wo unto them, for their death is bitter.
2nd Estate = Mortal life
and Spirit world
Sweet =
Bitter = Spirit Prison those who
need time to refine and reform themselves, they need to accept the Atonement
while dealing with the eternal consequences of their sins.
(
12 But I was racked with
eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked
with all my sins.
God is
trying to save those in the Spirit World.
Much of our work there will be to help them accept Christ so they may
receive various degrees of glory.
Verse 5 –
There is peace and rest found in this life and paradise for those who honor and
keep their covenants.
Priests
should be honoring and teaching the Law to the people, they are called to be
messengers of God.
Priesthood
brings peace – Covenant keeping brings peace
Today do we
accept 50% HT or VT? Or 50% tithing and think it’s OK? By not doing our callings in the correct
manner means our hearts are not right with God.
(Malachi 2:14-17.)
14 ¶ Yet ye say,
Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy
youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy
companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
15 And did not he make
one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might
seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal
treacherously against the wife of his youth.
16 For the LORD, the God
of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence
with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit,
that ye deal not treacherously.
17 ¶ Ye have wearied the
LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye
say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he
delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
The priests were divorcing their
wives in the covenant and marrying younger women outside of the covenant for
lustful reasons, God hates their actions.
The priests were not living
appropriately either religiously or personally.
Malachi 3 – Quoted to the Nephites
and to Joseph Smith, it has multiple fulfillments, deep doctrines.
(Malachi 3:1-11.)
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall
prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to
his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he
shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
2 But who may abide the
day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like
a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
3 And he shall sit as
a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and
purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in
righteousness.
4 Then shall the offering
of
5 And I will come near to
you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and
against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress
the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn
aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of
hosts.
6 For I am the
LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
7 ¶ Even from the days of
your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them.
Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye
said, Wherein shall we return?
8 ¶ Will a man rob God?
Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and
offerings.
9 Ye are cursed
with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes
into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now
herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of
heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room
enough to receive it.
11 And I will rebuke the
devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground;
neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the
LORD of hosts.
Messenger: Prepare the way
- John the Baptist - 1st coming of
Christ
- Joseph Smith – Christ coming to His temple,
April 3, 1836
- Christ – 2nd coming to His earth
- Church – to prepare the people throughout the
world for 2nd coming and Millennium
(Doctrine and Covenants
101:22-23.) – Church is the messenger to prepare the way for Christ’s coming
22 Behold, it is my will,
that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting
gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places;
23 And prepare for the
revelation which is to come, when the veil of the covering of my temple, in my
tabernacle, which hideth the earth, shall be taken off, and all flesh shall see
me together.
This chapter refers to the 2nd
coming, the refiner’s fire for cleansing, the role of the Sons of Levi (which
has a wider interpretation then just the Aaronic priesthood), tithing etc. . .
.
3 Nephi 24 and 25 (Compare Malachi 3
and 4)
Having taught from the book of Isaiah
and given encouragement to search all the prophets, Christ quoted in full
Malachi 3 and 4 with their emphasis on the message and messenger "of the
covenant." Of those passages from Malachi—obviously not available to Lehi
at the time he left Jerusalem—Christ said, "These scriptures, which ye had
not with you, the Father commanded that I should give unto you; for it was
wisdom in him that they should be given unto future generations." fn
Those chapters are particularly
important to Latter-day Saints in light of the fact that when the angel
The Prophet did not identify all of
the verses
"Behold, I will send my
messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek,
shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye
delight in."61
The most obvious messenger to come preparing the way before the Lord was John
the Baptist. Not only did John serve as a forerunner to the Lord in New
Testament times, but he has also played that role in these latter days. On May
15, 1829, he appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and restored the
Aaronic Priesthood in preparation for greater priesthood powers to follow,
including the keys and ordinances of the holy temple and the Savior's
appearance there. In a moment of great spiritual manifestation when many keys
and dispensational powers were returned to the earth, Christ, who is the great
"messenger of the covenant," did come to the first temple in this
dispensation, in
"Who may abide the day of his
coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire,
and like fullers' soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver:
and he shall purify the sons of Levi, . . . that they may offer unto the Lord
an offering in righteousness." fn The Savior's return will be a cleansing, refining
experience by fire. The righteous will endure and be purified by this flame of
truth, while the wicked will be burned as stubble, unable to withstand its
unquenchable demands. In that millennial
moment, the sons of Levi (the tribe of
One of their "offerings,"
as taught by the Prophet Joseph Smith, is a book of remembrance, to be
presented to the Lord "in his holy temple, . . . a book containing the
records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation." fn The
Prophet also taught that these Levitical duties would include blood [animal]
sacrifice as "an offering in righteousness" to the Lord in the temple
of the New Jerusalem, perhaps as part of a final exercise in which the various
elements and ordinances of all earlier dispensations will be brought together,
at least symbolically, in this triumphant, concluding moment of the
dispensation of the fulness of times in which the completion of this world and
its work is presented to its rightful Lord of lords and King of kings. fn
(Jeffrey R.
Holland, Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of
Mormon [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], 293.)
This lesson is not intended as a
treatise on the Aaronic Priesthood, but is intended to present a general
outline of the history of the Aaronic Priesthood, the duties of the priests and
Levites of this order in ancient times, and the reason for the bestowal of that
Priesthood in this dispensation. The Prophet writes: "We (Oliver Cowdery
and himself) continued the work of translation, when ,in the ensuing month
(May, 1829), we, on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of
the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found mentioned
in the translation of the plates. While we were thus employed, praying and
calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light,
and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us saying:
Upon you my fellow servants, in the
name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the
ministering of angels, and of the Gospel of repentance, and of baptism by
immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from
the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in
righteousness. (D. and C. sec. 13.)
He said that the Aaronic Priesthood
had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that
this should be conferred on us hereafter; and he commanded us to go and be
baptized, and gave us directions that I should baptize Oliver Cowdery, and
afterwards that he should baptize me. Accordingly we went and were baptized. I
baptized him first, and afterwards he baptized me, after which I laid my hands
upon his head and ordained him to the Aaronic Priesthood, and afterwards he
laid his hands on me and ordained me to the same Priesthood—for so we were
commanded.
The messenger who visited us on this
occasion, and conferred the Priesthood upon us, said that his name was John,
the same that is called John the Baptist in the New Testament, and that he
acted under the direction of Peter, James and John, who held the keys of the
Priesthood of Melchizedek, which Priesthood he said would in due time be
conferred on us, and that I should be called the first Elder of the Church, and
he (Oliver Cowdery) the second. It was on the 15th day of May, 1829, that we
were ordained under the hand of this messenger, and baptized." D. H. C. Vol.
1:39-41.
In his account the Prophet declared
that the angel ordained him and Oliver Cowdery. The proper word would have been
conferred the Priesthood. In the early days of the Church the term
"ordain" was used in the sense of conferring or setting apart. The
distinction which we make today between conferring, setting apart and
ordaining, had not been clearly drawn. The Angel John, however, used the proper
expression. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, as the record shows, were not
ordained to any office, but the Priesthood was conferred upon them. All of the
offices of the Priesthood come out of, and are appendages to, the Priesthood.
(See D. and C. 107:5.) Priesthood has existed independently of the Church at
times, but the offices pertain to the Church organization and are conferred by
the sanction of the Church. This is also true of the bestowal of the
Melchizedek Priesthood. Under the hands of Peter, James and John, Joseph Smith
and Oliver Cowdery had conferred upon them the Melchizedek Priesthood and all of
the offices come out of this Priesthood after the organization of the Church.
The first office held in this dispensation was that of Elder. Joseph Smith was
ordained by Oliver Cowdery to be the first Elder of the Church, and Oliver
Cowdery was ordained to be the second Elder of the Church, on the 6th day of
April, 1830. Following this ordination, as the Church increased in membership
deacons, teachers, and priests were ordained, also other elders. On the third
day of June, 1832, the first high priests were ordained. Among this number was
Joseph Smith the Prophet. He was ordained at his request to the office of high
priest, under the hands of Lyman Wight who had been previously ordained to that
office by Joseph Smith the Prophet. Oliver Cowdery who was absent at the time
of this conference was ordained a high priest, August 28, 1831, "by the
voice of the Church and the command of God." (See "Essentials in
Church History," pp. 126-127.)
John the Baptist informed Joseph and
Oliver that the Aaronic Priesthood, "had not the power of laying on hands
for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this should be conferred on us
hereafter." (D. H. C. Vol. 1:39.) In the conferring of this Priesthood the
messenger also said: "* * * and this shall never be taken again from the
earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in
righteousness." This saying has led to some speculation and needless
discussion. We may be sure that the Aaronic Priesthood will never be taken from
the earth while mortality endures, for there will always be need for temporal
direction and the performance of ordinances pertaining to "the preparatory
Gospel." Oliver Cowdery writing in the early day of the Church of the
glorious vision has given us a little different version of this restoration, as
follows:
"On a sudden, as from the midst
of eternity, the voice of the Redeemer spake to us while the veil was parted
and the angel of God came down clothed with glory, and delivered the anxiously
looked-for message, and the Keys of the Gospel of repentance! What joy! what
wonder! what amazement! While the world was racked and distracted—while
millions were groping as the blind for the wall, and while men were resting
upon uncertainty, as a general mass, our eyes beheld, our ears heard. As in the
blaze of day; yes, more—above the glitter of the May sunbeam, which then shed
its brilliancy over the face of nature! Then the voice, though mild, pierced to
the center, and his words, "I am thy fellow servant," dispelled every
fear. We listened, we gazed, we admired! 'Twas the voice of an angel from
glory. 'Twas a message from the Most High! and as we heard we rejoiced while
his love enkindled our souls, and we were wrapt in the vision of the Almighty.
Where was room for doubt? Nowhere, uncertainty had fled, doubt had sunk, no
more to rise, while fiction and deception had fled forever!
"But dear brother, think,
further think for a moment, what joy filled our hearts, and with surprise we
must have bowed (for who should not have bowed the knee for such a blessing!)
when we received under his hands the Holy Priesthood as he said, 'Upon you my
fellow-servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer this Priesthood and this
authority, which shall remain upon earth that the sons of Levi may yet offer an
offering unto the Lord in righteousness." (Messenger and Advocate, p.16.)
There can be little question about
the meaning of the words of the angel. The Priesthood was to remain that the
sons of Levi may offer an offering in righteousness.
(Joseph
Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 4 vols. [Salt Lake
City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1946-1949], 1: 55.)
D&C 84
– September 1832
Sons of
Moses – Melchizedek priesthood
Sons of
Aaron – Deacons and Teachers – Levitical priesthood, Priests Aaronic priesthood
The Oath and Covenant of the
Priesthood (vv. 33-44) – Robert Millett
Bearing the Holy Priesthood is a
sacred obligation, a trust that must not be taken lightly. From the beginning
of time the Lord has bestowed the rights of priesthood upon his worthy sons,
and at the same time he has counseled that the priesthood—like a double-edged
sword—is the instrument for blessing as well as cursing. The worthy and pure
recipient qualifies himself and his family for transcendent blessings; the man
who receives God's authority and then proves unwilling to assume the consequent
commitments lays the foundation for unhappiness and punishment. God will not be
mocked! God swore to Enoch of old and to his children
With an oath by himself; that every
one being ordained after this order [the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the
Son of God] and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to
divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course; to put at
defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to
stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according
to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the
Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world. And men having
this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into
heaven (JST, Gen. 14:30-32).
The above passage makes abundantly
clear that the priesthood is the power over the elements, power over men and
demons—in short, power over life and death.
In section 84 of the Doctrine and
Covenants the Lord reveals anew the terms and conditions pertaining to the
reception and utilization of the powers of the Melchizedek Priesthood. The Oath
which accompanies the reception of the priesthood is an oath that God swears to
man. Just as the Father swore that the Beloved Son should be a priest forever
(Ps. 110:4), so also does God swear with an oath that every priesthood holder
who abides by his part of the two-way promise (the covenant) shall receive
incomprehensible blessings. fn The Covenant which accompanies the
reception of the Melchizedek Priesthood (there is no oath associated with the
Aaronic Priesthood fn) consists of: (1) those things man promises to do; and
(2) those blessings God promises the faithful priesthood bearer. As given in
verses 33-44, the Covenant might be represented as follows:
MAN PROMISES
1. Obtain the Priesthood (v. 33)
2. Magnify Callings in the Priesthood
(v. 33)
3. Receive the Lord's Servants (v.
36)
4. Beware Concerning Himself (v. 43)
5. Give Diligent Heed to the Words of
Eternal Life (v. 43)
6. Live by Every Word of God (v. 44)
GOD PROMISES
1. Sanctify Man to the Renewal of the
Body (v. 33)
2. Man to Become a Son of Moses and
Aaron (v. 34)
3. Man to Become the Seed of Abraham
(v. 34)
4. Man to Become a Part of the Church
and
5. Man to Become the Elect of God (v.
34)
6. Man to Receive Christ and the
Father (vv. 36-37)
7. Man to Receive All the Father Has
(v. 38)
Man's promises to God are penetrating
but quite straight-forward. Faithful observance of those promises leads to
remarkable blessings.
Moses and Aaron were great priesthood
figures in their day. Since the priesthoods of Moses and Aaron (Melchizedek and
Aaronic, respectively) bless the lives of men everywhere, it is a simple fact
that "faithful holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood, no matter what their
natural lineage, become by adoption the sons of Moses and Aaron." fn One
writer has described this principle of adoption as follows: "Now, the
literal descendants of Moses and Aaron are Levites. But the Lord was not
talking about their lineal descendants. . . . In truth, all who will have
received both the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods, who will have magnified
their callings in these two priesthoods, will, by adoption, 'become the sons of
Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom and the
elect of God."' fn Worthy priesthood holders are not "adopted"
in a legalistic sense into the families of Moses and Aaron. Rather, it is as
though they are worthy of being counted as followers—persons who live after the
same fashion—of Moses and Aaron. They are worthy of being counted among the
noble. Further, those who join the Church, receive the priesthood, and prove
faithful to that priesthood are entitled to the name and blessings of Father Abraham—the
blessings of the Fathers, foremost of which is eternal life and thus the
continuation of the family unit in eternity. fn
Faithfully enduring to the end in the
work of the priesthood eventuates in receiving the promise of eternal life,
either here or hereafter. Having arrived at this station, one is appropriately
classified as the elect of God, having made his calling and election
sure unto eternal life. Having read verse 34 in section 84 (regarding becoming
"the church and kingdom, and the elect of God"), President Marion G.
Romney said to the men of the priesthood in 1974: "We talk about making
our callings and elections sure. The only way we can do this is to get the
priesthood and magnify it." fn It appears that to become "the church
and
All men who receive the Melchizedek
Priesthood thus enter into covenant with God. The penalties associated with
breaking the covenant are sobering. "Whoso breaketh this covenant after he
hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness
of sins in this world nor in the world to come" (D&C 84:41). Though
the language of the above statement is somber, the Lord is not declaring that those
who fail to keep the covenant are guilty of the unpardonable sin. Rather, he is
teaching that those who receive the priesthood in this life but do not so live
as to reap its privileges and blessings on earth, shall not have the right to
priesthood hereafter; they forfeit the right to eternal life and eternal
associations. fn
President Wilford Woodruff expressed
the power and profundity of the promises given to the faithful priesthood
holder in these words: "Who in the name of the Lord can apprehend such
language as this? Who can comprehend that, by obeying the celestial law, all
that our Father has shall be given unto us—exaltations, thrones,
principalities, power, dominion—who can comprehend it? Nevertheless it is here
stated." fn
(Robert L.
Millet and Kent P. Jackson, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 1: The Doctrine
and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 316.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
84:31.) – All priesthood will give an acceptable offering and shall receive all
that the Father has.
31
Therefore, as I said concerning the sons of Moses—for the sons of Moses and
also the sons of Aaron shall offer an acceptable offering and sacrifice in the
house of the Lord, which house shall be built unto the Lord in this generation,
upon the consecrated spot as I have appointed—
The sons of Moses have a right
"to the Holy Priesthood," "which priesthood continueth in the
church of God in all generations, and is without beginning of days or end of
years." (D&C 84:6, 17.) Moses sought diligently to prepare his people
for this right to be worthy of the presence of God through the authority,
ordinances, and power of the priesthood. (D&C 84:19-23.) The sons of Moses
today hearken to the one called of God to guide them in their preparation to
behold His presence.
Aaron was a spokesman for Moses and
an assistant to him, Moses having the greater calling and Aaron the lesser. The
lesser, or preparatory, priesthood was named after Aaron. (D&C 84:18,
26-27.) The sons of Aaron today are those who accept the preparatory, or
Aaronic, Priesthood and live its principles, thus proving worthy of greater
blessings as they enter the Order of the Melchizedek Priesthood. They learn to
accept all who are called as spokesmen (those other local and general
authorities who help accomplish the Lord's work) under the direction of the
prophet. They are also willing themselves to serve as spokesmen in priesthood
capacities when called to do so.
Thus, the sons of Moses and of Aaron
today are faithful priesthood holders. In the course of their progress, they
will become worthy temple recommend holders. They will "offer an
acceptable offering and sacrifice in the house of the Lord" (D&C
84:31) by receiving their own temple endowment and performing work for the
dead. "And the sons of Moses and of Aaron shall be filled with the glory
of the Lord, upon Mount Zion in the Lord's house, whose sons are ye; and also
many whom I have called and sent forth to build up my church." (D&C
84:32.)
The mention of the temple is most
significant, for it is through the ordinances of the Lord's house that we
prepare to achieve the goal sought by Moses for his people: to enter the Lord's
presence. Elder McConkie noted that "the greatest blessings are reserved
for those who obtain 'the fulness of the priesthood,' meaning the fullness of
the blessings of the priesthood. These blessings are found only in the temples
of God." fn The oath and covenant of the priesthood includes all of the
covenants made in the temple.
In similitude to the mission of Moses
to gather Israel and establish them as a people, the Lord revealed a latter-day
mission of the "sons of Moses:" "Yea, the word of the Lord
concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his
people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of
his saints." (D&C 84:2.) The corollary between the mission of Moses in
ancient
Doctrine and Covenants 84:34
specifies that "they become . . . the seed of Abraham." The literal
house of
Elder McConkie noted that "what
we say for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob we say also for Sarah, Rebekah, and
Rachel, the wives . . . who with them were true and faithful in all
things," fn for, as President Joseph Fielding Smith taught, "the Lord
offers to his daughters every spiritual gift and blessing that can be obtained
by his sons." fn
In order to enjoy the full blessings
of the oath and covenant of the priesthood, a man must marry for time and
eternity in the house of the Lord. (See D&C 131:1-3.) Elder McConkie
explained that "this covenant, made when the priesthood is received, is
renewed when the recipient enters the order of eternal marriage." fn
Further, "when he is married in the temple for time and for all eternity,
each worthy member of the Church enters personally into the same covenant the
Lord made with Abraham. This is the occasion when the promises of eternal
increase are made, and it is then specified that those who keep the covenants
made there shall be inheritors of all the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob." fn
(Susan
Easton Black et al., Doctrines for Exaltation: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on
the Doctrine and Covenants [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 44 -
45.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
128:24.) – we should do all we can in righteousness
24
Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of his
coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire,
and like fuller's soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver,
and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that
they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us, therefore,
as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an
offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is
finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of
all acceptation.
Malachi 3:4
– Both kingdoms are doing Christ’s work to prepare for the 2nd
coming and the Millennium.
Malachi 3:8
– Another problem was the payment of tithes and offerings. We should prove God and He will “pour out”
blessings upon us. The temple endowment
is part of this blessing. This verse
means more then just paying tithes and offerings; it also means the
consecration of the people.
Bruce gave
several scriptures on escaping our enemies and being endowed from on high.
(Doctrine and Covenants
37:1.) – Go to
1
Behold, I say unto you that it is not expedient in me that ye should translate
any more until ye shall go to the Ohio, and this because of the enemy and for
your sakes.
(Doctrine and Covenants
38:31.) – Escape and be endowed from on high
31
And that ye might escape the power of the enemy, and be gathered unto me a
righteous people, without spot and blameless—
(Doctrine and Covenants
39:15.) – Blessings poured forth, tithing and consecration of the people
15
And inasmuch as my people shall assemble themselves at the
(Doctrine and Covenants
97:10-17.) –
10 Verily I say unto you,
that it is my will that a house should be built unto me in the land of Zion,
like unto the pattern which I have given you.
11 Yea, let it be built
speedily, by the tithing of my people.
12 Behold, this is the
tithing and the sacrifice which I, the Lord, require at their hands, that there
may be a house built unto me for the salvation of
13 For a place of
thanksgiving for all saints, and for a place of instruction for all those who
are called to the work of the ministry in all their several callings and
offices;
14 That they may be
perfected in the understanding of their ministry, in theory, in principle, and
in doctrine, in all things pertaining to the kingdom of God on the earth, the
keys of which kingdom have been conferred upon you.
15 And inasmuch as my
people build a house unto me in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any
unclean thing to come into it, that it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon
it;
16 Yea, and my presence
shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall
come into it shall see God.
17 But if it be defiled I
will not come into it, and my glory shall not be there; for I will not come
into unholy temples.
(Doctrine and Covenants
105:4.) – Can’t redeem
4
And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial
kingdom;
(Doctrine and Covenants
105:9-10.) – Wait; prepare to be taught to know their duty. Elders need to be endowed from on high
9 Therefore, in
consequence of the transgressions of my people, it is expedient in me that mine
elders should wait for a little season for the redemption of
10 That they themselves
may be prepared, and that my people may be taught more perfectly, and have
experience, and know more perfectly concerning their duty, and the things which
I require at their hands.
(Doctrine and Covenants
109:21, 36) – Gift of tongues poured out (Gift of the Holy Ghost)
21
And when thy people transgress, any of them, they may speedily repent and
return unto thee, and find favor in thy sight, and be restored to the blessings
which thou hast ordained to be poured out upon those who shall reverence thee
in thy house.
36
Let it be fulfilled upon them, as upon those on the day of Pentecost; let the
gift of tongues be poured out upon thy people, even cloven tongues as of fire,
and the interpretation thereof.
(Doctrine and Covenants
110:7-10.) – Christ will come to His temple if it isn’t polluted, great
blessing to be poured out
7 For behold, I have
accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to
my people in mercy in this house.
8 Yea, I will appear unto
my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my people will keep my
commandments, and do not pollute this holy house.
9 Yea the hearts of
thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the
blessings which shall be poured out, and the endowment with which my servants
have been endowed in this house.
10 And the fame of this
house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessing
which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people. Even so. Amen.
Christ will destroy the wicked both
root and branch. Those that fear God
(Christ) will receive healing from the Atonement. They are to keep the Law of Moses until they
are commanded not too. Elijah will come
in the future and bring the keys of the higher law he holds the keys of the
kingdom including temple keys and our calling and election being made sure.
(Malachi 4:1-6.)
1 For, behold, the day
cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do
wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith
the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
2 ¶ But unto you that fear
my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye
shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
3 And ye shall tread down
the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day
that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
4 ¶ Remember ye the law of
Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all
5 ¶ Behold, I will send
you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the
LORD:
6 And he shall turn the
heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their
fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
(Doctrine and Covenants 2:1-3.)
– Priesthood by the hands of Elijah, everything before is only preparatory to
this
1 Behold, I will reveal
unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming
of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
2 And he shall plant in
the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of
the children shall turn to their fathers.
3 If it were not so, the
whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.
Fulness of the Priesthood
Aaronic Priesthood Patriarchal
Priesthood Melchizedek
Priesthood
Holy
Ghost Calling and Election Sure
Washing
and Anointing Comes
from Elijah
Endowment
Eternal
marriage
Abrahamic
covenant
(Our
family line)
Malachi 4:4-5 – Elijah will bring
the fulness back
Matthew 14-18
The Fourth Narrative and
Discourse
February 22, 2007
(Doctrine and Covenants
10:52-54.) – The Church is not to destroy what people have received but to
build up what they already have.
52 And now, behold,
according to their faith in their prayers will I bring this part of my gospel
to the knowledge of my people. Behold, I do not bring it to destroy that which
they have received, but to build it up.
53 And for this cause have
I said: If this generation harden not their hearts, I will establish my church
among them.
54 Now I do not say this
to destroy my church, but I say this to build up my church;
The Church brings people up to a
higher level with priesthood keys and ordinances. True Christians are better than no religion
or secularists.
(3 Nephi 15:7.)
7 And because I said unto
you that old things have passed away, I do not destroy that which hath been
spoken concerning things which are to come.
(Matthew 10:1.) – The 12
had priesthood authority but no keys.
Keys are the right to direct priesthood authority.
1 And when he had called
unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean
spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of
disease.
(Matthew 16:19.)
19
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Jesus tells
Peter that he will be given the keys of the kingdom, to direct and regulate the
affairs of the kingdom here on earth.
Saving priesthood ordinances come from those having keys. Christ has all of the keys but He did not
give them to the 12, He had others confer the keys on the 12.
The events on the
Mount of Transfiguration
(Matthew 17:1-8.) – Moses
and Elijah returned the keys of the kingdom, but not all of the keys. Physical bodies were needed to confer the
keys by the laying on of hands, so Moses and Elijah were translated for this
purpose.
1 And after six days Jesus
taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high
mountain apart,
2 And was transfigured
before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as
the light.
3 And, behold, there
appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
4 Then answered Peter, and
said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make
here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
5 While he yet spake,
behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud,
which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
6 And when the disciples
heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
7 And Jesus came and
touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
8 And when they had lifted
up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
(Mark 9:2-10.) – The
footnote of 4a states that John the Baptist was also here after his death
2 ¶ And after six days
Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up
into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
3 And his raiment became
shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
4 And there appeared unto
them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
5 And Peter answered and
said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three
tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
6 For he wist not what to
say; for they were sore afraid.
7 And there was a cloud
that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my
beloved Son: hear him.
8 And suddenly, when they
had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with
themselves.
9 And as they came down
from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things
they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
10 And they kept that
saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the
dead should mean.
(Luke 9:28-36.) – Moses
and Elijah spoke to Christ concerning the events at
28 ¶ And it came to pass
about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and
went up into a mountain to pray.
29 And as he prayed, the
fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and
glistering.
30 And, behold, there
talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
31 Who appeared in glory,
and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at
32 But Peter and they that
were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his
glory, and the two men that stood with him.
33 And it came to pass, as
they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be
here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and
one for Elias: not knowing what he said.
34 While he thus spake,
there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into
the cloud.
35 And there came a voice
out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
36 And when the voice was
past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in
those days any of those things which they had seen.
(Doctrine and Covenants
63:20-21.) – The full significance of what happened on the mount has not been
revealed.
20 Nevertheless, he that
endureth in faith and doeth my will, the same shall overcome, and shall receive
an inheritance upon the earth when the day of transfiguration shall come;
21 When the earth shall be
transfigured, even according to the pattern which was shown unto mine apostles
upon the mount; of which account the fulness ye have not yet received.
What Happened on the Mount of
Transfiguration?
Until men attain a higher status of
spiritual understanding than they now enjoy, they can learn only in part what
took place upon the Mount of Transfiguration. From the New Testament accounts
and from the added light revealed through Joseph Smith it appears evident that:
(1) Jesus singled out Peter, James,
and John from the rest of the Twelve; took them upon an unnamed mountain; there
he was transfigured before them, and they beheld his glory. Testifying later,
John said, "We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only be—gotten of the
Father" (John 1:14); and Peter, speaking of the same event, said they
"were eyewitnesses of his majesty." (2 Pet. 1:16.)
(2) Peter, James, and John, were
themselves "transfigured before him" (Teachings, p. 158), even as
Moses, the Three Nephites, Joseph Smith, and many prophets of all ages have
been transfigured, thus enabling them to entertain angels, see visions and
comprehend the things of God. (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 725-726.)
(3) Moses and Elijah—two ancient
prophets who were translated and taken to heaven without tasting death, so they
could return with tangible bodies on this very occasion, an occasion preceding
the day of resurrection—appeared on the mountain; and they and Jesus gave the
keys of the kingdom to Peter, James, and John. (Teachings, p. 158.)
(4) John the Baptist, previously
beheaded by Herod, apparently was also present. It may well be that other
unnamed prophets, either coming as translated beings or as spirits from
paradise, were also present.
(5) Peter, James, and John saw in
vision the transfiguration of the earth, that is, they saw it renewed and
returned to its paradisiacal state—an event that is to take place at the Second
Coming when the millennial era is ushered in. (D&C 63:21D. & C.
63:20-21; Mormon Doctrine, pp. 718-719.)
(6) It appears that Peter, James, and
John received their own endowments while on the mountain. (Doctrines of
Salvation, vol. 2, p. 165.) Peter says that while there, they "received
from God the Father honour and glory," seemingly bearing out this
conclusion. It also appears that it was while on the mount that they received
the more sure word of prophecy, it then being revealed to them that they were
sealed up unto eternal life. (2 Pet. 1:16-19; D. & C. 131:5.)
(7) Apparently Jesus himself was
strengthened and encouraged by Moses and Elijah so as to be prepared for the
infinite sufferings and agony ahead of him in connection with working out the
infinite and eternal atonement. (Jesus the Christ, p. 373.) Similar comfort had
been given him by angelic visitants following his forty-day fast and its
attendant temptations (Matt. 4:11), and an angel from heaven was yet to
strengthen him when he would sweat great drops of blood in the
(8) Certainly the three chosen
apostles were taught in plainness "of his death and also his
resurrection" (
(9) It should also have been apparent
to them that the old dispensations of the past had faded away, that the law (of
which Moses was the symbol) and the prophets (of whom Elijah was the typifying
representative) were subject to Him whom they were now commanded to hear.
(10) Apparently God the Father,
overshadowed and hidden by a cloud, was present on the mountain, although our
Lord's three associates, as far as the record stipulates, heard only his voice
and did not see his form.
Matt. 17:1. After six days] Mark
agrees that it was six days; Luke says it was eight. In other words, one week
elapsed between Jesus' promise to Peter, to give him the keys of the kingdom,
and that glorious day of transfiguration when the keys were actually conferred
upon Peter and his two associates. Two of the synoptists are excluding the two
terminal days from their count, the other is including them.
Peter, James, and John] Why were these three repeatedly
singled out and given special blessings and privileges? They alone witnessed
the raising of Jairus' daughter from the dead. (Mark 5:22-24, 35-43.) They
alone beheld the glory and majesty of the transfigured Jesus; they alone
received from him, and from Moses and Elijah the keys of the kingdom, being
prohibited from so much as telling the others of the Twelve of these
transcendent events until after our Lord's resurrection. They alone were taken
to a spot in
Why always these three and not
various ones or even all of the Twelve? The plain fact is that Peter, James,
and John were the First Presidency of the Church in their day. From the
fragmentary New Testament accounts we have no way of knowing whether they
served as a quorum distinct from the Twelve or whether they continued to serve
both in the Presidency and in the Twelve. But by latter-day revelation we know
that they held and restored "the keys of the kingdom, which belong always
unto the Presidency of the High Priesthood" (D. & C. 81:2), or in
other words, they were the First Presidency in their day.
An high mountain] Long held by tradition to have been
2. Transfigured] As a host of scriptures attest, many
prophets in all ages have been transfigured, but none more majestic—ally and
dramatically than the Chief of all prophets on this occasion on the mount.
"Transfiguration is a special change in appearance and nature which is
wrought upon a person or thing by the power of God. This divine transformation
is from a lower to a higher state; it results in a more exalted, impressive,
and glorious condition." (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 725-726.)
3. Moses and Elias] Moses, the great prophet-statesman
whose name symbolized the law, and Elijah the Tishbite, a prophet of so great
fame that his name had come to typify and symbolize the collective wisdom and
insight of all the prophets. Moses held the keys of the gathering of
4. Let us make here three
tabernacles] These
words appear to have been spoken in response to some unrecorded statements of
Moses and Elijah. Since the record is so fragmentary it is not possible to tell
their exact meaning. In this connection, it should be noted that at the annual
feast of Tabernacles, it was customary for worshipers to erect small booths in
which they retired for private devotions.
5. A bright cloud overshadowed them] Not a watery
cloud, but what the Jews called the Shekinah or Dwelling cloud, the cloud which
manifested the presence and glory of God. This cloud had rested upon the
tabernacle in the wilderness (Num. 9:15-22), had covered Jehovah when he
visited his people (Ex. 33:9-11; Num. 11:25), and is the one which enveloped
Jesus, after his resurrection, when he ascended to his Father. (Acts 1:9.)
Hear ye him] Not Moses, whose very name symbolized
the law to which Israel had been subject for fifteen hundred years; not Elijah,
the one prophet whose name stood for all the prophets of all ages; not holy men
who had come, as it were, from heaven above; not the prophecies and laws of the
past; not all that the Jews held as holy and sacred! but "my beloved
Son"—Hear ye him! Salvation centers in Christ; turn to him; believe him;
follow him; obey him!
9. Vision] Moses and Elijah were personally
present on the mount, even as they were actual visitants in the
No man] Not even their fellow apostles were
to know as yet of the vision; even they were not yet prepared to receive the
glorious truths revealed on the holy mount.
Mark 9:10. Although Jesus had spoken
frequently of his coming death and resurrection, and although Peter, James, and
John had heard Moses and Elijah discuss the same thing—giving as it were a
heavenly approval of those portentous events ahead—yet even the chief ministers
of Christ's kingdom had not yet caught the full vision of what was ahead for
their Lord.
I. V. Mark 9:1. Many questions] How
profitable it would be to know the questions asked, the answers given, the
truths revealed.
3. John the Baptist] It is not to be understood that John
the Baptist was the Elias who appeared with Moses to confer keys and authority
upon those who then held the Melchizedek Priesthood, which higher priesthood
already embraced and included all of the authority and power John had held and
exercised during his ministry. Rather, for some reason that remains
unknown—because of the partial record of the proceedings—John played some other
part in the glorious manifestations then vouchsafed to mortals. Perhaps he was
there, as the last legal administrator under the Old Covenant, to symbolize
that the law was fulfilled and all old things were done away, thus contrasting
his position with that of Peter, James, and John who were then becoming the
"first" legal administrators of the New Kingdom.
Luke 9:28. To pray] How often it is
that visions and revelations and the opening of the heavens grow out of fervent
and devout prayer.
32. Heavy with sleep] Apparently Jesus and his three
associates spent the night in the mountain, and the glorious theophanies there
manifest were shown during the hours of darkness. The next day they returned to
the other disciples and the multitude. (Luke 9: 37.)
(Bruce R.
McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1965-1973], 1: 399.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
128:20.) – The Melchizedek priesthood with the keys to direct the affairs of
the church in this dispensation.
20
And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah!
What do these
scriptures have in common? Seeing Jesus
Christ, in His own time, and in His own way!
(Joseph Smith-History:
16-17.)
16 But, exerting all my
powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had
seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair
and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of
some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had
never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a
pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which
descended gradually until it fell upon me.
17 It no sooner appeared
than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the
light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all
description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling
me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
(Moses 1:1-2.)
1 The words of God, which
he spake unto Moses at a time when Moses was caught up into an exceedingly high
mountain,
2 And he saw God face to
face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses; therefore
Moses could endure his presence.
(2 Nephi 11:2-3.)
2 And now I, Nephi, write
more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will
liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my
children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him.
3 And my brother, Jacob,
also has seen him as I have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth
unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the
words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God
sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words.
(Doctrine and Covenants
67:10.)
10
And again, verily I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a promise I
give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you
strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me,
for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me
and know that I am—not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the
spiritual.
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:68.)
68
Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the
days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you,
and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own
will.
President
of the Church – Holds all keys actively (the only one to do so)
Quorum of
the 12 – Holds keys but are dormant, delegated use by the President of the
Church
Stake
Presidents – Only one to set apart missionaries, Bishops, and Elder’s quorum
presidents
Bishops –
Sets apart Teachers and Deacons quorum presidents
Once the 12
were removed from the earth there weren’t keys to confer on anyone. Once the keys were off the earth there had to
be a restoration of priesthood authority and keys to the earth. So when the Apostles were gone the keys were
also gone and those that held keys (Bishops) lost their authority to act or to
pass those keys on to anyone else.
Elder George Q. Cannon said:
John had the right to baptize when he
was upon the earth; he held the keys of that Priesthood. He baptized Jesus by
virtue of the Priesthood which he held; and those keys had not been taken from
him. At the time when Joseph Smith was ordained, there was no man on the face
of the earth that held the keys of the Priesthood and the authority to ordain
him. If there had been a man in...any other church extant upon the face of the
earth, who had the keys of the Priesthood, Joseph Smith would not have been
ordained by an angel, because the keys would have been here and been bestowed
by the man who held them. (Journal of Discourses, 13:47.)
Those priesthood keys, now restored,
had long been absent from the earth. The death of John the Baptist at the hands
of the wicked Herod had not brought baptism to an end. Jesus had given this
authority to His apostles, who continued to authorize the administration of
this saving ordinance in addition to other ordinances of the higher priesthood
among the faithful who joined the
(Hoyt W.
Brewster, Jr., Prophets, Priesthood Keys, and Succession [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1991], 22.)
Faith and Keys
Elder Henry B. Eyring
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ensign, Oct. 2004, pp. 26-29
In a chapel far from
Missionaries will invite
investigators to meet a bishop or branch president today with the same intent.
They hope that the investigators will feel far more than that they have met a
nice man or even a great man. They will be praying that the investigators will
feel a conviction that this apparently ordinary man holds priesthood keys in
the Lord's Church. The investigators will need that conviction when they go
into the waters of baptism. They will need it when they pay tithing. They will
need that conviction when the bishop is inspired to give them a calling. They
will need it when they see him presiding in the sacrament meeting and when he
nourishes them by teaching the gospel.
And so missionaries and
fathers, and all of us who serve others in the true Church, want to help those
we love gain a lasting testimony that the keys of the priesthood are held by
the Lord's servants in His Church. I speak today to encourage all who labor to
instill and strengthen that testimony.
It will help to recognize
some things. First, God is persistent and generous in offering the blessings of
priesthood power to His children. Second, His children must choose for
themselves to qualify for and receive those blessings. And third, Satan, the
enemy of righteousness, has from the beginning tried to undermine the faith
necessary to receive the blessings made possible by priesthood power.
I learned about those
realities from a wise teacher nearly 25 years ago. I spoke in an ancient
theater in
The audience was hundreds of
Latter-day Saints. They were arranged on the rows of stone benches the
Ephesians sat upon more than a millennium before. Among them were two living
Apostles, Elder Mark E. Petersen and Elder James E. Faust.
As you can imagine, I had
prepared carefully. I had read the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles, both
those of Paul and his fellow Apostles. I had read and pondered Paul's Epistle
to the Ephesians.
I tried my best to honor
Paul and his office. After the talk, a number of people said kind things. Both
of the living Apostles were generous in their comments. But later, Elder Faust
took me aside and, with a smile and with softness in his voice, said,
"That was a good talk. But you left out the most important thing you could
have said."
I asked him what that was.
Weeks later he consented to tell me. His answer has been teaching me ever
since.
He said that I could have
told the people that if the Saints who heard Paul had possessed a testimony of
the value and the power of the keys he held, perhaps the Apostles would not
have had to be taken from the earth.
That sent me back to Paul's
letter to the Ephesians. I could see that Paul wanted the people to feel the
value of the chain of priesthood keys reaching from the Lord through His
Apostles to them, the members of the Lord's Church. Paul was trying to build a
testimony of those keys.
Paul testified to the
Ephesians that Christ was at the head of His Church. And he taught that the Savior
built His Church on a foundation of apostles and prophets who hold all the keys
of the priesthood.
Despite the clarity and the
power of his teaching and his example, Paul knew that an apostasy would come.
He knew that apostles and prophets would be taken from the earth. And he knew
that they would, in some great, future day, be restored. He wrote of that time
to the Ephesians, speaking of what the Lord would do: "That in the
dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things
in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him"
(Eph. 1:10).
Paul looked forward to the
ministry of the Prophet Joseph Smith, when the heavens would be opened again.
It happened. John the Baptist came and conferred on mortals the priesthood of
Aaron and the keys of the ministering of angels and of baptism by immersion for
the remission of sins.
Ancient apostles and
prophets returned and conferred upon Joseph the keys they held in mortality.
Mortal men were ordained to the holy apostleship in February of 1835.
Priesthood keys were given to the Twelve Apostles in the latter part of March
1844.
The Prophet Joseph Smith
knew that his death was imminent. He knew that the precious priesthood keys and
the apostleship must not be and would not be lost again.
One of the Apostles, Wilford Woodruff, left us this account
of what happened in Nauvoo as the Prophet spoke to the Twelve:
"On that occasion the Prophet Joseph rose up and said
to us: 'Brethren, I have desired to live to see this temple built. I shall
never live to see it, but you will. I have sealed upon your heads all the keys
of the
Every prophet that followed
Joseph, from Brigham Young to President Hinckley, has held and exercised those
keys and has held the sacred apostleship.
But just as in the time of
Paul, the power of those priesthood keys for us requires our faith. We have to
know by inspiration that the priesthood keys are held by those who lead and
serve us. That requires the witness of the Spirit.
And that depends upon our
testimony that Jesus is the Christ and that He lives and leads His Church. We
must also know for ourselves that the Lord restored His Church and the
priesthood keys through the Prophet Joseph Smith. And we must have an assurance
through the Holy Ghost, refreshed often, that those keys have been passed
without interruption to the living prophet and that the Lord blesses and
directs His people through the line of priesthood keys which reaches down
through presidents of stakes and of districts and through bishops and branch
presidents to us, wherever we are and no matter how far from the prophet and
the apostles.
That is not easy today. It
was not easy in the days of Paul. It has always been hard to recognize in
fallible human beings the authorized servants of God. Paul must have seemed an
ordinary man to many. Joseph Smith's cheerful disposition was seen by some as
not fitting their expectations for a prophet of God.
Satan will always work on
the Saints of God to undermine their faith in priesthood keys. One way he does
it is to point out the humanity of those who hold them. He can in that way
weaken our testimony and so cut us loose from the line of keys by which the
Lord ties us to Him and can take us and our families home to Him and to our Heavenly
Father.
Satan succeeded in
undermining the testimony of men who had, with Joseph Smith, seen the heavens
opened and heard the voices of angels. The evidence of their physical eyes and
ears was not enough when they no longer could feel the testimony that the
priesthood keys were still in place with Joseph.
The warning for us is plain.
If we look for human frailty in humans, we will always find it. When we focus
on finding the frailties of those who hold priesthood keys, we run risks for
ourselves. When we speak or write to others of such frailties, we put them at
risk.
We live in a world where
finding fault in others seems to be the favorite blood sport. It has long been
the basis of political campaign strategy. It is the theme of much television programming
across the world. It sells newspapers. Whenever we meet anyone, our first,
almost unconscious reaction may be to look for imperfections.
To keep ourselves grounded
in the Lord's Church, we can and must train our eyes to recognize the power of
the Lord in the service of those He has called. We must be worthy of the
companionship of the Holy Ghost. And we need to pray for the Holy Ghost to help
us know that men who lead us hold this power. For me, such prayers are most
often answered when I am fully engaged in the Lord's service myself.
It happened in the aftermath
of a disaster. A dam in
I was there as the people
faced the terrible task of recovery. I saw the stake president gather his
bishops to lead the people. We were cut off in those first days from any
supervision from outside. I was in the meeting of local leaders when a director
from the federal disaster agency arrived.
He tried to take over the
meeting. With great force he began to list the things that he said needed to be
done. As he read aloud each item, the stake president, who was sitting near
him, said quietly, "We've already done that." After that went on for
five or ten minutes, the federal official grew silent and sat down. He listened
quietly as the stake president took reports from the bishops and gave
directions.
For the meeting the next
day, the federal disaster official arrived early. He sat toward the back. The
stake president began the meeting. He took more reports, and he gave
instructions. After a few minutes, the federal official, who had come with all
the authority and resources of his great agency, said, "President Ricks,
what would you like us to do?"
He recognized power. I saw
more. I recognized the evidence of keys and the faith that unlocks their power.
It happened again when a man
and his wife arrived back in town just after the dam had broken. They didn't go
to their home. They went first to find their bishop. He was covered in mud,
leading his members in mucking out homes. They asked what he would have them
do.
They went to work. Much
later, they took a few minutes to check on their own house. It was gone. So
they went back to work wherever their bishop asked them to help. They knew
where to go to get the Lord's direction for service in His Church.
I learned then as I have
since how the stakes of
By faith they are baptized
and receive the Holy Ghost. As they continue to keep the commandments, that
gift becomes constant. They can recognize spiritual things. It becomes easier
to see the power of God working through the common people God calls to serve
and lead them. Hearts are softened. Strangers become fellow citizens in the
Lord's kingdom, united in loving bonds.
That happy condition will
not last without a constant renewal of faith. The bishop we love will be
released, as will the stake president. The Apostles we followed in faith will
be taken home to the God who called them.
With those continual changes
comes a great opportunity. We can act to qualify for the revelation that allows
us to know that the keys are being passed by God from one person to another. We
can seek to have that experience again and again. And we must, in order to
receive the blessings God has for us and wants us to offer to others.
The answer to your prayer is
not likely to be as dramatic as it was when some saw Brigham Young, as he
spoke, take on the appearance of the martyred Prophet Joseph. But it can be as
sure. And with that spiritual assurance will come peace and power. You will
know again that this is the Lord's true and living Church, that He leads it
through His ordained servants, and that He cares about us.
If enough of us exercise
that faith and receive those assurances, God will lift up those who lead us and
so bless our lives and our families. We will become what Paul so wanted for
those he served: "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." (Eph. 2:20)
I testify, I know that Jesus
Christ is our Savior and that He lives. I know that He is the rock upon which
this, His true Church, stands. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen
Bishops
conduct the affairs of their ward through priesthood keys. It is his right to receive revelation for his
ward to meet member’s needs. He is a
common judge of
Recently
Bishops from the Stake President were given the key to set apart ward
missionaries in his area.
4th
Narrative and Discourse
The Preeminence of the Apostles in the Church
Matt. 13:54 - 19:2
4th Narrative
(Matt. 13:54-17:27)
In the fourth narrative,
both the apostles and the church take on greater significance. The narrative
begins with the rejection of Jesus by his own people in
The rejection of Jesus by
his own is followed by the story of the beheading of John the Baptist
(14:1-12). Not only does this story show the rejection of John but also
forecasts the Savior's death.
The Preeminence of Peter
and the Apostles
The next few stories in
chapter 14 may have been included by Matthew to deal with the question that
might have entered into the mind of his reader: "With John the Baptist
gone and the death of Christ pending, who will shepherd the church?" The
query is first answered in the story of the feeding of the five thousand
(14:15-21). Upon hearing of the death of John, the Savior withdrew to a desert
place -- apparently to be alone! But multitudes hearing he was there flocked
out to see and hear him. His compassion upon the shepherdless sheep caused him
to teach them and heal their sick (14:13-14).
As evening came on, the
apostles urged the Savior to send the multitude away that they might purchase
food. But he said: "They need not depart; give ye them to eat." But
the multitude, which consisted of 5,000 men plus their wives and children,
seemed to large a group for the apostles to feed since they only had five
loaves of bread and two fishes. But the Savior said: "Bring them hither to
me." He, who had rejected the temptation to make bread at the insistence
of Satan to prove to him his divinity (Matt. 4:3), was now going to make bread
to feed the hungry multitude. In the multiplication of the loaves and fishes,
the Savior not only feed the multitude physical food, but foreshadowed the
feeding of the church spiritual food through the instrumentality of the
apostles. It should be noted that Matthew carefully describes that after the
Savior took the bread and fishes, he looked up to heaven where God is and
blessed the food, then he "gave the loaves to his disciples, and the
disciples to the multitude" (14:15-21). It was in the Lord's plan that the
apostles should "feed" the church under the direction of the Savior.
This story established the line of authority: God, the Savior, the apostles,
and then the multitude.
Having established the
preeminence of the apostles in the church, the next story shows the preeminence
of Peter among the apostles. The episode of the Savior walking on water is
recorded by Matthew, Mark, and John. However, only Matthew informs us that
Peter alone of the apostles had faith to walk on the water (14:22-33). And
though his faith waned in a moment of opposition, Peter was nevertheless
sustained by Christ and with his help Peter continued to walk on water. To his
readers, Matthew seems to be saying that Peter, alone, is sustained by Jesus
Christ to head the earthly church.
Tradition vs. the Higher
Law
In chapter 15, Matthew
records a controversy the Savior had with the Pharisees and scribes concerning
the traditions held in the oral law, called in these verses "the tradition
of the elders" (15:1-20). It is clear that the Savior would have the disciples
and those who would follow them reject the rigidness of the Pharisaic rituals
and follow a higher righteousness. This is reinforced through the story of the
healing of the gentile woman's daughter (15:21-28). Pharisaic legislation would
have only found contempt for the gentile woman but in this story the Savior had
compassion on the woman solely based on her faith, an example of higher
righteousness. This incident is followed by the feeding of the 4,000 which once
again foreshadowed the shepherding of the church by the disciples (15:32-39).
How to Gain True
Testimony
One of the main issues of
chapter 16 centers on how the testimony of the divinity of Christ is granted.
The chapter begins with the Pharisees and Sadducees (a curious
combination!) confronting the Savior by asking for a "sign from
heaven" proving his messiahship (16:1-12). To their request the Savior
replied: "A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign."
Then to the disciples the Savior issued this stern warning: "Take heed and
beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees"; a clear
indication of the Savior's disdain for the religious practices of the Jewish
leaders. Reception of divine testimony does not come as a result of
hypocritical practices. How testimony is given is shown in the story of Peter's
confession (16:13-20). In response to the Savior's query to the apostles,
"But whom say ye that I am?", Peter declared, "Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God." Of this testimony, the Savior said:
"Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed
it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven": thus revealing that
divine testimony comes by revelation from God and not by spectacular
manifestations or physical evidences. The Savior then noted that it would be on
the foundation of this kind of revelation that he would "build his
church." This is the first use of the term church in Matthew. At
this point the Savior declared that he would give the "keys of the
kingdom" to Peter. The keys of the kingdom are the right to rule the
Keys of the Kingdom Given
Peter's preeminence is again
illustrated in two of the three stories found in chapter 17. In the first,
Peter, along with James and John, were taken by the Savior to a high mountain
where the Savior was transfigured before them (17:1-13). Then appeared Moses
and Elijah who gave to Peter, James, and John the keys of the kingdom which had
previously been promised. Of this holy experience the three apostles were given
the charge "Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again
from the dead." Of this experience, Elder Bruce R. McConkie said:
"Then it was, on the snowy mountain heights, after the Father had spoken
from the cloud, that Moses and Elijah, both taken to heaven without tasting
death, had come in their corporeal bodies to a temple not made with hands, and
given for that day and time their keys and powers to Peter, James, and
John." (Ensign [May 1983] pp. 21-23).
Following
the experience at the
4th Discourse
(Matt. 18:1-19:2)
In the fourth narrative,
both the apostles and the church grew in importance. In the fourth discourse,
the Savior discusses several issues relative to the church and its leaders. The
first issue concerns humility (18:1-5). The Savior used a child to demonstrate
the kind of humility required to be not only member of the kingdom but a leader
therein. Said he: "Except ye be converted, and become as little children,
ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble
himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven" (18:3-4). Amid the qualities that demonstrate the humility of a
child that are necessary for a member of the church and a leader therein is the
attribute of absolute dependence upon a higher power. This is especially true
regarding the atonement. An infant who dies in its infancy, is utterly
dependent upon the atonement of Jesus Christ for salvation (see. Mosiah 3:16).
The infant is not capable of doing any works that could save him or herself.
And just as a child is dependent upon Jesus Christ for salvation, so man must
"humble themselves and become as little children, and believe that
salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of
Christ, the Lord Omnipotent" (Mosiah 3:18).
Causing Little Ones to
Stumble
The aim of the next concern
was "offences" or causing someone to stumble (18:6-9). The Savior
warned that anyone who causes "these little ones" (i.e., converts to
the new kingdom) to stumble, or be led astray, "it were better that a
millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of
the sea." The word millstone mentioned in this passage is the English
rendering of the Greek words mylos onikos which means "donkey
millstone." These were large round stones (about three foot in diameter)
that required the power of a donkey to turn the mill. This kind of a stone
placed around the neck of someone would carry them immediately to the bottom of
the sea.
In relation to this, the
Savior reiterated what he said in the Sermon on the Mount: "Wherefore if
thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off." This concept may be
viewed in two ways. Not only should members of the kingdom avoid sin of every
kind but those who commit extreme sin and cause others to do so should be
removed from the body of the church.
The Savior then spoke of the
treatment of members of the church, especially those who are the lowly members
of the kingdom (18:10-14). Of these he said, "Take heed that ye despise
(Gk. kataphroneo, to look down on, treat with contempt, condemn,
despise, disdain, think little or nothing of) not one of these little
ones." In other words, the apostles were not think of members of the
church, whether the be little children or new members, as beneath them or that
they are better than the common member. To reinforce this idea he told the
parable of the lost sheep: "How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep,
and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and
goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be
that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that [sheep], than
of the ninety and nine which went not astray."
Then interpreting the parable,
the Savior said: "Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in
heaven, that one of these little ones should perish."
Dealing With the Sinner
The topic of the discourse
is shifted from those who cause others to stumble to those who have themselves
stumbled (18:15-20). The leaders are told to confront those have sinned in an
effort to reclaim them: "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against
thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear
thee, thou hast gained thy brother." If they choose not to repent then
they will be no better than "a heathen man and a publican."
The question any leader
would ask concerning one who sins was asked by Peter: "Lord, how oft shall
my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?" Then Lord
taught that the disciples ought to forgive others as often as they are sinned
against: " I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy
times seven" (18:21-22). To increase the faith of his hearers in this
regard, the Savior told the parable of the unmerciful servant (18:23-35). In
the parable the servants debt of 10,000 talents was equated with each man's sin
- an insurmountable debt. The 100 pence debt (a reasonable debt) was equated
with the most another may do against them. The point of the parable was that
since God has forgiven the disciples of their sins (something they could not do
for themselves) they should therefore from their hearts forgive "every one
his brother their trespasses."
Matthew 20-23
March 15, 2007
Matthew 20
– Parable of the laborers in the vineyard
1st
Laborer – Jesus Christ
Last
Laborers – Gentiles
(Matthew 20:16.) – Many
are called and few are chosen
16
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few
chosen.
The Tender Mercies of the Lord
David A. Bednar, “The
Tender Mercies of the Lord,” Ensign,
May 2005, 99
I testify that
the tender mercies of the Lord are available to all of us and that the Redeemer
of Israel is eager to bestow such gifts upon us.
|
|
Six months
ago, I stood at this pulpit for the first time as the newest member of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Both then and even more so now, I have felt and
feel the weight of the call to serve and of the responsibility to teach with
clarity and to testify with authority. I pray for and invite the assistance of
the Holy Ghost as I now speak with you.
This afternoon
I want to describe and discuss a spiritual impression I received a few moments
before I stepped to this pulpit during the Sunday morning session of general
conference last October. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf had just finished speaking
and had declared his powerful witness of the Savior. Then we all stood together
to sing the intermediate hymn that previously had been announced by President
Gordon B. Hinckley. The intermediate hymn that morning was “Redeemer of Israel”
(Hymns, no. 6).
Now, the music
for the various conference sessions had been determined many weeks before—and
obviously long before my new call to serve. If, however, I had been invited to
suggest an intermediate hymn for that particular session of the conference—a
hymn that would have been both edifying and spiritually soothing for me and for
the congregation before my first address in this Conference Center—I would have
selected my favorite hymn, “Redeemer of Israel.” Tears filled my eyes as I
stood with you to sing that stirring hymn of the Restoration.
Near the
conclusion of the singing, to my mind came this verse from the Book of Mormon:
“But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord
are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them
mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1 Ne. 1:20).
My mind was
drawn immediately to Nephi’s phrase “the tender mercies of the Lord,” and I
knew in that very moment I was experiencing just such a tender mercy. A loving
Savior was sending me a most personal and timely message of comfort and
reassurance through a hymn selected weeks previously. Some may count this
experience as simply a nice coincidence, but I testify that the tender mercies
of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by
coincidence. Often, the Lord’s timing of His tender mercies helps us to both
discern and acknowledge them.
What Are the Tender Mercies of the Lord?
Since last
October I have reflected repeatedly upon the phrase “the tender mercies of the
Lord.” Through personal study, observation, pondering, and prayer, I believe I
have come to better understand that the Lord’s tender mercies are the very
personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances,
guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we
receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, the Lord
suits “his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men” (D&C 46:15).
Recall how
the Savior instructed His Apostles that He would not leave them comfortless.
Not only would He send “another Comforter” (John 14:16),
even the Holy Ghost, but the Savior said that He would come to them (see John 14:18).
Let me suggest that one of the ways whereby the Savior comes to each of us is
through His abundant and tender mercies. For instance, as you and I face
challenges and tests in our lives, the gift of faith and an appropriate sense
of personal confidence that reaches beyond our own capacity are two examples of
the tender mercies of the Lord. Repentance and forgiveness of sins and peace of
conscience are examples of the tender mercies of the Lord. And the persistence
and the fortitude that enable us to press forward with cheerfulness through
physical limitations and spiritual difficulties are examples of the tender
mercies of the Lord.
In a recent
stake conference, the tender mercies of the Lord were evident in the touching
testimony of a young wife and mother of four whose husband was slain in
“To the best
family in the world! Have a great time together and remember the true meaning
of Christmas! The Lord has made it possible for us to be together forever. So
even when we are apart, we will still be together as a family.
“God bless
and keep y’all safe and grant this Christmas to be our gift of love from us to
Him above!!!
“All my love,
Daddy and your loving husband!”
Clearly, the
husband’s reference to being apart in his Christmas greeting referred to the
separation caused by his military assignment. But to this sister, as a voice
from the dust from a departed eternal companion and father, came a most needed
spiritual reassurance and witness. As I indicated earlier, the Lord’s tender mercies
do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and
humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord’s
timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings.
Some time ago
I spoke with a priesthood leader who was prompted to memorize the names of all
of the youth ages 13 to 21 in his stake. Using snapshots of the young men and
women, he created flash cards that he reviewed while traveling on business and
at other times. This priesthood leader quickly learned all of the names of the
youth.
One night the
priesthood leader had a dream about one of the young men whom he knew only from
a picture. In the dream he saw the young man dressed in a white shirt and
wearing a missionary name tag. With a companion seated at his side, the young
man was teaching a family. The young man held the Book of Mormon in his hand,
and he looked as if he were testifying of the truthfulness of the book. The
priesthood leader then awoke from his dream.
At an ensuing
priesthood gathering, the leader approached the young man he had seen in his
dream and asked to talk with him for a few minutes. After a brief introduction,
the leader called the young man by name and said: “I am not a dreamer. I have
never had a dream about a single member of this stake, except for you. I am
going to tell you about my dream, and then I would like you to help me
understand what it means.”
The
priesthood leader recounted the dream and asked the young man about its
meaning. Choking with emotion, the young man simply replied, “It means God
knows who I am.” The remainder of the conversation between this young man and
his priesthood leader was most meaningful, and they agreed to meet and counsel
together from time to time during the following months.
That young
man received the Lord’s tender mercies through an inspired priesthood leader. I
repeat again, the Lord’s tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by
coincidence. Faithfulness and obedience enable us to receive these important
gifts and, frequently, the Lord’s timing helps us to recognize them.
We should not
underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The
simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord
will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now
and will yet live. When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the
joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is
unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about
the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation
are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps
we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord
and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance (see 1 Ne. 1:20).
Who Are They Whom the Lord Has Chosen to
Receive His Tender Mercies?
The word chosen in 1 Nephi 1:20 [1 Ne. 1:20]
is central to understanding the concept of the Lord’s tender mercies. The
dictionary indicates that chosen
suggests one who is selected, taken by preference, or picked out. It also can
be used to refer to the elect or chosen of God (Oxford English Dictionary Online, second ed. [1989],
“Chosen”).
Some individuals who hear or read
this message erroneously may discount or dismiss in their personal lives the
availability of the tender mercies of the Lord, believing that “I certainly am
not one who has been or ever will be chosen.” We may falsely think that such
blessings and gifts are reserved for other people who appear to be more
righteous or who serve in visible Church callings. I testify that the tender
mercies of the Lord are available to all of us and that the Redeemer of
To be or to become chosen is not an
exclusive status conferred upon us. Rather, you and I ultimately determine if
we are chosen. Please now note the use of the word chosen in the following verses from the Doctrine and
Covenants:
“Behold, there are many called, but
few are chosen. And why are
they not chosen?
“Because their hearts are set so much
upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men” (D&C
121:34–35; emphasis added).
I believe the implication of these
verses is quite straightforward. God does not have a list of favorites to which
we must hope our names will someday be added. He does not limit “the chosen” to
a restricted few. Rather, it is our
hearts and our aspirations and our obedience which definitively
determine whether we are counted as one of God’s chosen.
Enoch was
instructed by the Lord on this very point of doctrine. Please note the use of
the word choose in these
verses: “Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands,
and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the
Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;
“And unto thy
brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one
another, and that they should choose
me, their Father” (Moses 7:32–33; emphasis added).
As we learn
in these scriptures, the fundamental purposes for the gift of agency were to
love one another and to choose God. Thus we become God’s chosen and invite His
tender mercies as we use our agency to choose God.
One of the
most well-known and frequently cited passages of scripture is found in Moses 1:39.
This verse clearly and concisely describes the work of the Eternal Father: “For
behold, this is my work and my
glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (emphasis
added).
A companion
scripture found in the Doctrine and Covenants describes with equal clarity and
conciseness our primary work as the sons and daughters of the Eternal Father.
Interestingly, this verse does not seem to be as well known and is not quoted
with great frequency. “Behold, this is your
work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind and
strength” (D&C 11:20; emphasis added).
Thus, the
Father’s work is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His
children. Our work is to keep His commandments with all of our might, mind, and
strength—and we thereby become chosen and, through the Holy Ghost, receive and
recognize the tender mercies of the Lord in our daily lives.
The very
conference in which we are participating this weekend is yet another example of
the Lord’s tender mercies. We have been blessed to receive inspired counsel
from the leaders of the Savior’s Church—timely counsel for our day and for our
circumstances and for our challenges. We have been instructed, lifted, edified,
called to repentance, and strengthened. The spirit of this conference has
fortified our faith and fueled our desire to repent, to obey, to improve, and
to serve. Like you, I am eager to now act upon the reminders, counsel, and
personal inspiration with which we have been blessed during this conference.
And in just a few moments each of us will receive one of the Lord’s tender
mercies as we hear the concluding remarks and testimony of President Gordon B.
Hinckley. Truly, “the Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all
his works” (Ps. 145:9).
I am thankful
for the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the Prophet Joseph
Smith and for the knowledge we have today about the Lord’s tender mercies. Our
desires, faithfulness, and obedience invite and help us to discern His mercies
in our lives. As one of His servants, I declare my witness that Jesus is the
Christ, our Redeemer and our Savior. I know that He lives and that His tender
mercies are available to all of us. Each of us can have eyes to see clearly and
ears to hear distinctly the tender mercies of the Lord as they strengthen and
assist us in these latter days. May our hearts always be filled with gratitude
for His abundant and tender mercies. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
The family
exists forever
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Church Hierarchy does not exist forever
Dad, Mom,
Children Home teachers, Visiting teachers,
Teachers,
Elders Quorum, Bishop,
Stake President, Seventy, Apostles,
Prophet
The church exists to do the following
- Support the family
- Sustain the family
- Exalt the family
There is no advancement in the Church except the Quorum of
the 12 as it is necessary to establish the next President/Prophet of the
Church.
(Matthew 20:20-28.) – We don’t covet the limelight or positions
in the Church
20 ¶ Then came to him the
mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and
desiring a certain thing of him.
21 And he said unto her,
What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the
one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
22 But Jesus answered and
said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall
drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say
unto him, We are able.
23 And he saith unto them,
Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am
baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to
give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my
Father.
24 And when the ten heard it,
they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
25 But Jesus called them unto
him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion
over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so
among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be
chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man
came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom
for many.
(Matthew 20:30-34.) –
There is no preferential treatment of a Bishop over a Primary teacher. Christ has compassion for those who come unto
him, regardless of color or title, Jew or Gentile
30 ¶ And, behold, two
blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried
out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
31 And the multitude
rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more,
saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
32 And Jesus stood still,
and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
33 They say unto him,
Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34 So Jesus had compassion
on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received
sight, and they followed him.
5th Narrative and Discourse
The Kingdom Then and in the Last Days
Matt. 19:3-26:2
Bruce Satterfield
Department of
Parable of the Laborers
in the Vineyard
Hearing this, Peter said:
"Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have
therefore?" There is a spirit of assumption about this question to which
the Savior gives a gentle but firm rebuke. The rebuke is preceded by the Savior
telling the disciples of both the reward and responsibility of their sacrifice.
The responsibility is that they would judge the twelve tribes of
Having stated the reward,
the Savior gently rebuked Peter saying: "But many that are first shall be
last; and the last shall be first" (19:30). To clarify his meaning, the
Savior told a parable (20:1-16). A certain landowner went "early in the
morning" to his local marketplace to hire day laborers to help in the
harvest of his vineyard. Day laborers were despised in antiquity and were
considered only a little above a slave (see Leon Morris, The Gospel
According to Matthew, p. 499). When he found some laborers, he agreed to
pay them a penny (Gk. dinarius) for a days work and then sent them off to work.
A dinarius was the average wage for a days work at that time. The landowner
went back to the marketplace about the third hour (9 AM) and found "others
standing idle." He told them to go to the vineyard and work and he would
pay them "whatsoever is right." At various times during the day, he
went to the marketplace and hired more laborers. "About the eleventh hour
[5 PM] he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why
stand ye here all the day idle?" They responded, "Because no man hath
hired us." He then told them to go to the vineyard and he would pay them
"whatsoever is right."
At the end of the day, the
landowner gathered all the laborers "beginning from the last unto the
first" to give them their pay. Surprisingly, he gave every man who had
been hired latter in the day a full days wage. Why the landowner did this is
not specifically stated. But it is obvious that the landowner's compassion for
even the most despised of men was superior to most. "We must assume that
that householder knew that a poor man and his dependents needed the money if
they were to have even the necessities of life. There is compassion behind the
payment" (Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, p.
501).
Seeing this, those who had
been hired first "supposed that they should have received more." But
the landowner gave them the dinarius that he agreed to pay them. The men
"murmured" saying, "These last have wrought but one hour, and
thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the
day." The landowner replied, "Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not
thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give
unto this last, even as unto thee." He then concluded, "Is it not
lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am
good?" After telling the parable, the Savior said: "So the last shall
be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."
Original Interpretation. This parable, unique to Matthew's
gospel, is very important to Matthew's overall message. Though the Apostles
were first among those who accepted the gospel taught by Christ, their reward
would be no greater than any who would receive the gospel latter. All who join
the new kingdom Christ offered by accepting the gospel through faith, repenting
of their sins, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end to
receive the reward God promises to his children. It matters not that one joins
the
In light of the gentile
theme that is found throughout his gospel, Matthew may have included this
parable in an attempt to rebuke Christian Jews who were unhappy with the gospel
being taken to the gentiles. "The vineyard is often used as a symbol for
Israel (e.g., Isa. 5:1-7); those who take the parable this way argue that
Israel is like the men who worked all day, while the Gentiles are symbolized in
those who came later and were admitted by God's grace" (Leon Morris, The
Gospel According to Matthew, p. 504).
On the Road to
At this point in the
narrative, Matthew notes that the Savior began his journey to
Throughout his gospel,
Matthew has recorded the Savior's teachings concerning the necessity of
humility in the kingdom (see e.g., 18:1-4). The Savior taught that there is no
place for self-seeking (see eg., 10:38-39). But to often his followers failed
to learn the lessons taught. As the Savior continued his journey to Jerusalem
James and John's mother approached the Savior and requested that her two sons
sit on his right and left hand in his kingdom. The Savior responded, "Ye
know not what ye ask . . . [it] is not mine to give." This is the Father's
prerogative.
When the other apostles
heard what James and John's mother had requested, "they were moved with
indignation against the two brethren." Rebuking them, the Savior said:
"whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and
whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of
man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a
ransom for many" (20:20-28). The greatest example of selfless service is
the Savior's atoning sacrifice -- the whole reason he was going to
While they continued their
journey, "two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that
Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of
David." The multitude who had gathered to see the Savior were annoyed by
their petition and urged them to keep quite. But they cried out even louder.
Their petition was not in vain. Jesus stopped and said, "What will ye that
I shall do unto you?" They asked if he might give them sight. "So
Jesus had compassion [on them], and touched their eyes: and immediately their
eyes received sight, and they followed him" (20:30-34). The compassionless
hearts of the multitude were contrasted by the Savior's matchless compassion.
Truly, he had come to serve mankind and not himself.
The Savior Arrives at
The hard heart theme
continues into the second part of the narrative. Having arrived at
Matthew sees in the
triumphal entry, the fulfillment of two Old Testament prophecies (Isaiah 62:11
and Zechariah 9:9): "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh
unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass."
The ass was an animal of peace and not one of war. Though the multitudes may
have saw in Jesus a king who would throw off the shackles of their Roman
overlords, he had in fact not come as a warrior. He had come as the Prince of
Peace.
The Savior proceeded to the
All these were legitimate
and necessary practices. It was not practical for those traveling great
distances to bring their own sacrifices. Nor would they have carried with them
the local currency for the temple tax. Yet, these practices need not be done on
the
The Savior found these
practices repulsive. He then "cast out all them that sold and bought in
the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of
them that sold doves" declaring, "It is written, My house shall be
called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves"
(21:12-13).
After sanctifying the
Confrontation Between
Jesus and the Rulers
After the Savior spent the
night in the small neighboring
The tree was cursed because it did not produce fruit. Of
this Spencer W. Kimball said, "The symbolism of the barren fig tree (Matt.
21:19) is eloquent. The unproductive tree was cursed for its barrenness" (The
Miracle of Forgiveness, p.92). John the Baptist had warned the Jews,
"the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which
bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" (Matt.
3:10). Likewise, the Savior said, "Every tree that bringeth not forth good
fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" (Matt. 7:19). In other words,
if the Jews did not produce works acceptable to God, they would be destroyed.
To this point in his ministry, the Savior had only displayed the positive
nature of his power: the power to heal, give life, and do good. In cursing the
barren fig tree, the Savior demonstrated his power to curse, smite, and
destroy. In so doing, it foreshadowed the fate of those of the Jewish nation
who would reject the ministry of Jesus.
Matthew's inclusion of the cursing of the fig tree sets the
stage for the confrontation between the Savior and the Jewish leaders found in
the last part of the fifth narrative (21:23-22:46).
The Savior came to the
temple where he began teaching the people. The rulers of the Jews came to him
and questioned him: "By what authority doest thou these things? and who
gave thee this authority?" "The question, of course, is a challenge.
They are not asking for information about him; they know that he has not
authority (in their sense of the word) to act as he has been doing. The temple
was under the jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin, which they represented; the
merchants and the money-changers exercised their trades under concessions
granted by the Sanhedrin. They knew without asking that no authority had been
granted to Jesus to interfere with the existing arrangements" (Francis W.
Beare, The Gospel According to Matthew, p. 422).
In response to the challenge
issued by the rulers, the Savior said that if they would tell him where John
the Baptist received his authority to baptize, he would tell them where he had
received his authority. But "they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we
shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet."
So they replied, "We cannot tell." To which the Savior said, "
Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things" (21:23-27).
"These were men who had been asked a question to which they knew the
answer, but who refused to give it because they were afraid of the
consequences. Why should a teacher like Jesus answer the loaded questions of
men like these?" (Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew,
p. 535)
Three Parables
Though the Savior did not
answer the question the rulers asked, he did respond to their challenge by
delivering three parables - the meanings of which were clear: the rejection of
Jesus by the Jews would eventually lead to the destruction of
Parable of the Two Sons In the first of the three parables
(21:28-32), the hard hearts of the rulers were contrasted to the open hearts of
the "publicans and harlots" who had come to believe on him. The
Savior began the parable by asking the rulers a question: "But what think
ye?" Then followed the parable: A farmer asked his two sons to go work in
the fields. The first said, "I will not: but afterward he repented, and
went." Then the second said, "I go, sir: and went not." The
Savior then continued the question he had started the parable with, "Whether
of them twain did the will of his father?" The answer was obvious, the
first son! Having rightfully answered, the Savior then gave this stunning
rebuke: "Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into
the
Interpretation The first son represented the
publicans and harlots who had lead sinful lives. However upon hearing the
gospel taught by Christ repented of their past actions. The second son
represented the Pharisees and scribes
Parable of the Wicked
Husbandman Following
on the heals of this statement, the Savior told them the parable of the
householder (21:33-44). "A certain householder" who owned a vineyard
rented his land to "husbandmen." They would take care of the vineyard
and reap the rewards. Often, in circumstances such as presented in the parable,
rent payment was a certain percentage of the harvest. As harvest time drew
near, the householder sent his servants to collect the percentage of the
harvest that belonged to him. But "the husbandmen took his servants, and
beat one, and killed another, and stoned another." The householder sent
other servants but the same fate befell them. Finally, he sent his own son
hoping that "They will reverence my son." However, when the son came,
the husbandmen "said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill
him, and let us seize on his inheritance." They carried out their foul
plan. The Savior then asked the rulers what the householder would do to the
husbandmen. Properly, they responded, "He will miserably destroy those
wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall
render him the fruits in their seasons."
The meaning of the parable
is obvious. Throughout their history, Jewish rulers had rejected the prophets
of the Lord. But God had now sent is own son. Nonetheless, the rulers would
reject him as well. The parable suggests the motive for their rejection. The
husbandman said: "This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let
us seize on his inheritance." Jacob, in the Book of Mormon,
explained that the rejection of Christ by the Jews was "because of
priestcrafts and iniquities, they at
Not only did the Savior
prophesy his own demise in this parable, but warned that because of the Jewish
rejection of Christ the Jewish nation including their capital,
The Stone Rejected
Before continuing to the
third parable, the Savior continued his warning of the impending destruction of
the Jewish nation. "Did ye never read in the scriptures," he said,
"The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the
corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?"
(21:42). This quotation from Psalms 118:22, speaks of the rejection of the
messiah, the stone of Irsael. He warned them that because they would reject
him, the stone of
The JST continues the story
adding further insight. "And now his disciples came to him, and Jesus said
unto them, Marvel ye at the words of the parable which I spake unto them?
Verily, I say unto you, I am the stone, and those wicked ones reject me. I am
the head of the corner. These Jews shall fall upon me, and shall be broken. And
the
The Parable of the
Wedding Garment The
Savior then delivered a third parable: the parable of the wedding garment
(22:1-14). In the parable, a king "made a marriage for his son."
"When the marriage was ready" (JST 22:3), the king sent forth his
servants to tell those who had been invited to the wedding to "come unto
the marriage." "But they made light of the servants, and went their
ways; one to his farm, another to his merchandise; And the remnant took his
servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them" (JST Matt.
22:5-6). When the king heard how his servants were treated, " he was
wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned
up their city." The king said, "The wedding is ready, but they which
were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as
ye shall find, bid to the marriage." The servants did as they were
commanded: they "went out into the highways, and gathered together all as
many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with
guests."
The parable could have ended
here with the point being made. However, there is another point the Savior
wished to make. "When the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a
man which had not on a wedding garment." We do not know enough about
wedding ceremonies during the time of Christ to understand the cultural aspect
of this portion of the parable. But either a wedding garment was given to those
invited to the wedding or at least suitable clothing was made available.
Whatever is the case, it is apparent that having the wedding garment was
essential for the wedding feast. The king asked, "Friend, how camest thou
in hither not having a wedding garment?" Perhaps in the rush of filling
the wedding with guests, the man was not able to get a garment or none was
given him. But the man "was speechless." That is, he had had the
opportunity to receive the garment but did not take it. "Then said the
king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast [him]
into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The
Savior concluded the parable saying, "For many are called, but few
chosen." The JST adds, "wherefore all do not have on the wedding
garment" (JST Matt. 22:14).
Interpretation The King represents God, the Father.
The king's son is Christ. The wedding feast represents Christ's coming among
the Jews. The marriage metaphor was common metaphor used in the Old Testament
to represent the covenant relationship between God and
The parable has two points.
The first is more obvious than the second. The first point is a reiteration of
the last parable: because the Jews rejected the Lord's servants, they would be
destroyed and the gospel would be taken to the gentiles.
The second point focuses on
preparation. Those who have been called to the wedding feast
" . . . the day of the
Lord fast approaching when none except those who have won the wedding garment
will be permitted to eat and drink in the presence of the Bridegroom, the
Prince of Peace!"
(Teachings of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, p.47)
Bruce R. McConkie, The
Mortal Messiah, Vol.3, p.367 - p.368
Salvation is a personal
matter; it comes to individuals, not congregations. Church membership alone
does not save; obedience after baptism is required. Each person called to the
marriage feast will be examined separately, and of the many called to partake
of the bounties of the gospel few only will wear the robes of righteousness
which must clothe every citizen in the celestial heaven. True it is that the
Lord "hath bid his guests," as Zephaniah said, but "all such as
are clothed with strange apparel" shall be cast out. (Zeph. 1:7-8.)
Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, Vol.1, p.598
11. Had not on a wedding
garment] He had accepted the invitation (the gospel); joined with the true
worshipers (come into the true Church); but had not put on the robes of
righteousness (that is, had not worked out his salvation after baptism).
"Many are called, but few are chosen." (Matt. 22:14.) Called to
what?
This is incomplete according
to Bro. Satterfield
Matthew 21 – 2 Nephi 26:29
– Alma 1
(2 Nephi 26:29.) - Priestcrafts in the scriptures, they set themselves up for the
light of the world and to receive praise.
When a mortal sets themselves up as a light to the world to receive
money and praise, only Christ is the
“light” of the world.
29 He commandeth
that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men
preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain
and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
(2 Nephi 10:3-5.) –
Jacob’s temple talk. 2 points will bring
about the Savior’s death: 1. Priestcrafts
(temple setting), 2. Iniquities
3 Wherefore, as I said
unto you, it must needs be expedient that Christ—for in the last night the
angel spake unto me that this should be his name—should come among the Jews,
among those who are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify
him—for thus it behooveth our God, and there is none other nation on earth that
would crucify their God.
4 For should the mighty
miracles be wrought among other nations they would repent, and know that he be
their God.
5 But because of priestcrafts and iniquities, they at
Jerusalem will stiffen their necks against him, that he be crucified.
The priests and money
changers in the temple who wanted $$ and were enslaving the people with their
wicked ways. They charged extraordinary
amounts and told people if they didn’t pay their sins wouldn’t be forgiven.
(Matthew 21:10-16.) –
“Hosanna” means Jehovah save us please.
Christ drove out the money changers and quoted Jeremiah in verse
13.
10 And when he was come
into
11 And the multitude said,
This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
12 ¶ And Jesus went into
the
13 And said unto them, It
is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a
den of thieves.
14 And the blind and the
lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
15 And when the chief
priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children
crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore
displeased,
16 And said unto him,
Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never
read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
(
1 Now it came to pass that
in the first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, from
this time forward, king Mosiah having gone the way of all the earth, having
warred a good warfare, walking uprightly before God, leaving none to reign in
his stead; nevertheless he had established laws, and they were acknowledged by
the people; therefore they were obliged to abide by the laws which he had made.
2 And it came to pass that
in the first year of the reign of
3 And he had gone about
among the people, preaching to them that which he termed to be the word of God,
bearing down against the church; declaring unto the people that every priest and
teacher ought to become popular; and they ought not to labor with their hands,
but that they ought to be supported by the people.
4 And he also testified
unto the people that all mankind should be saved at the last day, and that they
need not fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice;
for the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men; and, in the
end, all men should have eternal life.
5 And it came to pass that
he did teach these things so much that many did believe on his words, even so
many that they began to support him and give him money.
6 And he began to be
lifted up in the pride of his heart, and to wear very costly apparel, yea, and
even began to establish a church after the manner of his preaching.
7 And it came to pass as
he was going, to preach to those who believed on his word, he met a man who
belonged to the church of God, yea, even one of their teachers; and he began to
contend with him sharply, that he might lead away the people of the church; but
the man withstood him, admonishing him with the words of God.
8 Now the name of the man
was Gideon; and it was he who was an instrument in the hands of God in
delivering the people of Limhi out of bondage.
9 Now, because Gideon
withstood him with the words of God he was wroth with Gideon, and drew his
sword and began to smite him. Now Gideon being stricken with many years,
therefore he was not able to withstand his blows, therefore he was slain by the
sword.
10 And the man who slew
him was taken by the people of the church, and was brought before
11 And it came to pass
that he stood before
12 But
Christ cursing the fig tree
foreshadows the future destruction of
(Matthew 21:18-20.)
18 Now in the morning as
he returned into the city, he hungered.
19 And when he saw a fig
tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and
said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently
the fig tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples
saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
The 3 parables: See Bro. Satterfield’s notes above.
(Matthew 21:28-32.) –
Coveting was the problem; they want the praise of men. All that the Chief priests coveted in the
world and praise will be destroyed with the destruction of
28 ¶ But what think ye? A certain
man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my
vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I
will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30 And he came to the
second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went
not.
31 Whether of them twain
did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith
unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into
the
32 For John came unto you
in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the
harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not
afterward, that ye might believe him.
The Parables of Judgment and
Vengeance
The Second Coming is a day of
judgment, a day of vengeance, a day of burning. "I will come near to you
to judgment," is the Messianic promise. (Mal. 3:5.) In that day the wicked
shall be destroyed; the righteous shall find eternal peace; and the Great Judge
of all the earth shall measure to every man as his works merit. And so we find
Jesus speaking parables that will cause men to ponder these truths, parables
that will encourage them to do good and work righteousness so they will be
numbered with the true saints in that dread day.
1. The Parable of the Gospel Net.
The Church and kingdom of God on
earth, which both preaches and administers the holy gospel, is like a great
draw net or seine that sweeps through large areas of the sea. Fish of every
kind are caught. The good are gathered into vessels and the bad are cast away.
And thus it shall be when the Lord Jesus returns in glory to judge and rule.
The wicked—though caught in the gospel net, though in the Church, though
gathered with the Israel of God—shall be severed from among the just and shall
be cast "into the furnace of fire." (Matt. 13:47-53.) Church membership
alone is no guarantee of salvation. Only the God-fearing and the righteous
shall sit down in the
2. The Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen.
The Divine Householder plants his earthly vineyard and lets it out to
husbandmen. In due season he sends his servants to receive the fruits. They are
rejected, beaten, stoned, and slain. Last of all he sends his Son, whom the
wicked husbandmen slay—all of which brings forth the promise that the wicked
husbandmen will be destroyed and the vineyard let out to other husbandmen who
will bring forth fruits in due season. At this point Jesus said: "Did ye
never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same
is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is
marvellous in our eyes? . . . And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be
broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."
(Matt. 21:33-46.)
To his disciples, by way of interpretation, Jesus said: "I am the
stone, and those wicked ones reject me, and shall be broken. And the
3. The Parable of the Great Supper.
According to Jewish tradition, the
resurrection of the just, and the subsequent setting up of the
And thus it is reaffirmed that the
blessings of the gospel profit only those who feast upon the eternal word, and
that the alien and the foreigner who feast on the good work of God shall be
blessed when the Supper of the Great God is prepared to usher in his millennial
reign. It is of that feast of good things that the elders of
4. The Parable of the Marriage of the King's Son.
A certain king (who is God) prepares a marriage for his son (who is
Christ), Jesus says, thus confirming the Jewish tradition that the Messianic
kingdom will be ushered in by a great feast in which God and his people will be
united, symbolically, in marriage. The wedding is ready, but the invited guests
do not come. They make light of the invitation and even slay the servants who
bring them the word. Hence, other people (the Gentiles) are invited and the
feast goes forward. But when one comes without a wedding garment (the robes of
righteousness), the king says: "Bind him hand and foot, and take him away,
and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth." (Matt. 22:4Matt. 22:1-14.)
And so it is, as the millennial day approaches, that the servants of the
Lord go forth, inviting all men, Jew and Gentile alike, to come to "the
supper of the Lamb," to "make ready for the Bridegroom," to come
to "a feast of fat things," and "of wine on the lees well
refined," to come to "a supper of the house of the Lord, well
prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited." (D&C 58:6-11;
65:3.) And it shall yet come to pass that those who accept the invitation and
come to the feast, but who do not wear the approved wedding garments and are
not clothed in the robes of righteousness, shall be cast into outer darkness.
In that day only the pure and the clean shall feast at the eternal table.
(Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah: The Second
Coming of the Son of Man [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 344.)
TRIUMPHAL ENTRY AND A DAY OF DEBATE
(Matthew 21-23)
JOSEPH F. MCCONKIE
Though we treasure all the words and
acts of Christ, none have made a deeper imprint upon the hearts and minds of
his followers than those things he said and did immediately before his death.
This chapter will consider the events of the first three days of the passion
week.
Jesus Enters the
At the time of the Passover it had
become the habit of Jesus to take refuge in the
As the little band left
The disciples then went into the
village as they had been instructed, found the colt as they had been told, were
challenged as anticipated, responded according to their instructions, and were
allowed to bring the young donkey to the Master. Then they set their coats on
the colt, "and Jesus took the colt and sat thereon; and they followed
him." (JST, Matt. 21:5.) The gathering multitude commenced to throw their
own outer garments, along with palm branches, in the path of the colt with such
cries as "Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the
name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." (Matt. 21:9.)
Like much that was to take place in
that last week, this procession was richly symbolic and deeply rooted in
scriptural tradition. One writer has said: "To ride upon white asses
or ass-colts was the privilege of persons of high rank, princes,
judges, and prophets." fn Christ's doing so attested that he
entered the Holy City as its rightful king, as did the shouts of
Hosanna—meaning "save now," "save we pray," or "save
we beseech thee." The matter could not be stated more plainly; the people
were announcing Jesus of Nazareth as their king and deliverer. The declarations
that he was David's son—the promise of kingship having been given David's heirs
(2 Sam. 7:12-16)—announced him as their king, as did the palm leaves and garments
that were strewn before him. Nor was this all, for this very event had been
detailed by the prophet Zechariah. "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of
The implication of this ritual
entrance into
We must not suppose that the honor
thus paid to Jesus in this moment of triumph was born of ignorance. The
testimony of this multitude of believers would stand as a witness against the
city of
The nation of
Jesus—One Having Authority
The holy party returned to
We have no indication that the Savior
explained his action to his disciples, nor does the scriptural account offer
explanation. Apparently it was left to them, as it has been for us, to discern
the purpose of the Master Teacher in so doing. May I suggest that the event
combined an ingenious teaching moment with the spirit of prophecy. As I have
written elsewhere:
All present knew that fig trees bring
forth their fruit before their leaves. All were equally aware that it would be
some weeks before fig trees normally gave fruit. Yet the profusion of leaves on
this tree constituted an announcement that it was laden with fruit. Christ was
thus attracted to it. The symbol was perfect—a tree professing fruits and
having none standing in the very shadows of the temple where a corrupt
priesthood professed righteousness and devotion to
The stage was set, the lesson was
most timely, and in the false pretense of the fig tree was to be found perfect
typecasting. The moment now belonged to the Master Teacher, who used it to
dramatize his power over nature and evidence once again his claim to
Messiahship, while making the fig tree a prophetic type of what befalls those who
profess his authority and fail to bring forth good fruits. Of such he has said
that he will curse them "with the heaviest of all cursings." (D&C
41:1.) fn
When Jesus entered the temple, his
heart and soul filled with righteous indignation for the manner in which his
Father's house, this sacred place of prayer and revelation, was being polluted
with the hypocrisy of a corrupt priesthood and a nation that willingly partook
of evil fruits offered them. Repeating an action that had introduced his
ministry some three years previously (John 2:13-17), he cast out all those who
made merchandise of his Father's house, overthrowing "the tables of the
moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves," and telling them
they had made "the house of prayer" into "a den of
thieves." (Matt. 21:12-13.) "Then, having with physical force driven
the wicked from the holy sanctuary, he remained to heal, teach, and receive
again from believing disciples a renewal of the same acclaim, hosannas, and
vocal acceptance of his divine Sonship, as he previously accepted while
entering Jerusalem in triumph." fn
That night as Jesus again sought
refuge and rest in
This question is most interesting.
First, when he had previously cleansed the temple, he was challenged to prove
his authority by showing a sign. (John 2:18.) Signs were no longer sought; they
had been given in all too great abundance. The previous day these same men had
themselves witnessed "the wonderful things that he did." (Matt.
21:15.) The issue now was one of authority to teach the gospel. It was well understood
that no one could take that honor unto himself. If Jesus could claim no
authority, he would obviously be in conflict with the Mosaic law and would have
no right to preach the gospel. On the other hand, should he claim such
authority, but not having received it from his questioners or those they
represented, he would be accused of blasphemy.
Christ responded to their question
with a question, assuring them that if they would answer his question, he would
most certainly answer theirs. He then asked them by what authority John the
Baptist performed baptisms. Was it from heaven or of men? As they huddled
together, they quickly realized that if they acknowledged that John's authority
came from heaven, they would be condemned for not having recognized it and not
having been baptized at his hands. On the other hand, if they said that the
Baptist's authority was of men, they would offend the people, "for all
[held] John as a prophet." (Matt. 21:26.) Thus they had ensnared
themselves in the trap they had laid for the Master, and they were forced to
admit that they could not answer. He responded, "Neither tell I you by
what authority I do these things." (Matt. 21:27.) His answer was
tantamount to saying: "You have your answer; John gave it to you at
Bethabara, and my Father confirmed it by his own voice out of heaven when he
said at my baptism: 'This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye
him.'" fn
Three Parables to the Jews
Without explanation of any sort, the
scriptural text appears to leave the matter of authority (growing out of the
questions put to Christ by the chief priests, scribes, and elders), and has
Christ relate the "Parable of the
Two Sons." (Matt. 21:28-32.) In fact, the parable skillfully answers
the question about authority. It is a simple story about a man with two sons
whom he asked to labor in his vineyard. The first son said he would not go but
repented and went, while the second son said he would go but did not. The
question was, which of the two did the will of their father?
The simplicity of the story compelled
those to whom it was directed to respond that it was the first son who did his
father's will, whereupon Jesus made this application: "Verily I say unto
you, That the publicans and the harlots shall go into the
To those spiritually in tune, the
message was plain. The father is God; the first son represents the publicans
and harlots who repented of their sins and became faithful followers of Christ;
the second son represents the Jewish leaders who professed to be about their
Father's business but were in fact cankering in wickedness, refusing the most
overwhelming array of evidence ever vouchsafed to mortal men to testify that
Jesus was the Christ. John had come to bear witness of Christ; his message was
one of righteousness and salvation. The publicans and harlots repented and thus
were led by John to Christ. The lawyers and Jewish leaders rejected John and,
having done so, could not accept Christ, for John and Christ were one. To
accept John and his heaven-sent authority was to accept Christ and his
authority; to reject John was to seal the heavens—to reject Christ, and to
reject the message and authority of salvation.
In the hardness of their hearts and
the bitterness of their souls, we witness the abomination that would precede
the desolation of both the temple and the nation of the Jews. Here within the
very walls of the temple, where every ritual movement had been designed in the
councils of heaven to testify of Christ, and every officiator to personify his
likeness, those so chosen stood in open rebellion to him. To them he spoke in
parables, that their "unrighteousness might be rewarded" to them.
(JST, Matt. 21:34.)
Christ then related the "Parable of the Wicked
Husbandmen," by which those corrupt priests, scribes, Pharisees, and
elders pronounced their own judgment. (Matt. 21:33-44.) The parable concerns a
householder who planted a vineyard, hedged it, dug a winepress in it, built a
tower to protect it, placed it in the trust of husbandmen, and then left for a
distant country. At the time of harvest he sent servants to receive the fruits
of his vineyard, only to have them beaten or killed in one manner or another.
Finally he sent "his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the
husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let
us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance." (Matt. 21:37-38.) Thus
they killed the son.
Christ asked of his antagonists,
"When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto
those husbandmen?" To that they responded, "He will miserably destroy
those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which
shall render him the fruits in their seasons." (Matt. 21:40-41.) By their
own mouths, and that too while acting in their official capacity, those corrupt
"husbandmen" of
At this point Jesus asked them if
they had not read in the scriptures how it was prophesied that the stone
rejected by the builders of the temple would yet be discovered to be the chief
cornerstone. fn (Matt. 21:42; Ps. 118:22.) Again the meaning was clear: Jesus
of Nazareth was announcing himself to be the Chief Cornerstone in his Father's
house and was identifying the spiritually blind and hostile Jewish leaders as
the builders who would reject him, along with their nation, until the time of
his second coming.
Humiliated and angered, these devils
cloaked in piety sought to lay hands on Christ but were prevented by his
followers. (Matt. 21:46.) Away from their presence, Christ spoke plainly to his
disciples, saying, "I am the stone, and those wicked ones reject me. I am
the head of the corner. These Jews shall fall upon me, and shall be broken. And
the
Jesus then related a third parable,
one commonly known to us as the "Parable
of the Royal Marriage Feast." (Matt. 22:4Matt. 22:1-14.) Jewish
tradition had long held that the Messianic era would be ushered in by a great
feast, one symbolic of the covenant that would exist between
The kingdom of heaven, he said, would
be like a king who, having prepared a feast for his son's wedding, sent his
servants to summon the guests he had invited, but they would not come. Other
servants were sent to tell of all the good and rich things that had been
prepared for those invited. Still those whom the king desired to honor would
not come, being involved in their own affairs. Some of their number even
attacked the king's messengers and killed them. In anger, the king sent an army
to destroy the murderers and burn their city. With the wedding feast ready and
the guests both unwilling and unworthy to come, the king sent his servants to
the highways to invite to the feast all that would come. Many were gathered,
"both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests."
(Matt. 22:10.) When the king made his appearance, he saw among his guests a man
who was not clothed in a wedding garment. Asked why he was not properly
dressed, the man was speechless. The king then directed his servants to
"bind him hand and foot, and take him away," casting him into
"outer darkness," the place of "weeping and gnashing of
teeth." Concluding the parable, Jesus said, "Many are called, but few
are chosen." (Matt. 22:13-14.)
"The interpretation of much of
the parable is obvious. The king is God; the son is Christ; the place of the
wedding feast is the kingdom of heaven; those bidden to the feast are those to
whom the message of the gospel is taken; the servants are obviously the
prophets who had been rejected and killed by those of their own nation; the
army, it appears, was that of Rome; and the city, Jerusalem. After their
rejection by
What is not evident to the modern
reader is why a particular dress was required for the king's guests and why the
penalty for improper dress was so severe. To those of the Savior's audience, it
was well known that one had to be suitably dressed to appear before a king. The
apparel of the guest was a reflection of respect for the host. It was also
commonly understood that the appropriate dress for such an occasion would be
white robes. fn Apparently the people invited from the highways of the earth
would have neither time nor means to procure the appropriate wedding clothing,
so the king supplied his guests from his own wardrobe, a common practice. Thus
all had been invited to clothe themselves in the garments of royalty. The man
cast out had chosen to trust in his own dress rather than that provided by the
king. "By interpretation, he had chosen to join the true worshippers, that
is, the church or
Thus Jesus reminded his listeners of
truths long known to them—that the children of the covenant must be found
wearing the garments of purity and holiness, garments made white through
"the blood of the Lamb." (Rev. 7:14.) John the Revelator would yet
write to explain that this "fine linen, clean and white" represented
"the righteousness of the saints," and thus the clothing of those
"called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." (Rev. 19:8-9.)
In telling this parable, Jesus
corrected the tradition of the Jews that they alone would be numbered among the
covenant people, and he emphasized that the covenant could be entered into only
in purity and righteousness. The Book of Mormon, our most perfect witness of
Christ, teaches this doctrine thus: "As many of the Gentiles as will
repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not
repent shall be cast off; for the Lord covenanteth with none save it be with
them that repent and believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel."
(2 Ne. 30:2.)
Render to God and Caesar Their Own
Hatred makes strange bedfellows. Next
we read of the Pharisees striking hands with the Herodians in an attempt to
entrap the Savior. Of this event Elder McConkie wrote: "If ever a plot was
conceived in hell, born in hate, and acted out with satanic cunning, it was the
jointly concocted stratagem of the Pharisees and Herodians on the matter of
paying tribute to Caesar." fn The Herodians were Jews who had sold their
souls to Herod and, with him, were fawning sycophants of Rome. The Pharisees,
on the other hand, were Jews fanatic in their profession of devotion to the law
of Moses and the observance of traditions they extorted from it. Between
Pharisee and Herodian there was no common ground, yet both were servants of the
same master, at whose bidding they now united in the effort to betray the Son
of God.
This delegation of devils came, as
devils so often do, with pretended sincerity and words flowing like a river of
praise. "Master," they said, "we know that thou art true, and
teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou
regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it
lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" (Matt. 22:16-17.)
Their trap was most clever. Were
Christ to say, "Yes, pay the hated tax to
With inspired insight Elder James E.
Talmage observed:
One may draw a lesson if he will,
from the association of our Lord's words with the occurrence of Caesar's image
on the coin. It was that effigy with its accompanying superscription that gave
special point to His memorable instruction, "Render therefore unto Caesar
the things which are Caesar's". This was followed by the further injunction:
"and unto God the things that are God's". Every human soul is stamped
with the image and superscription of God, however blurred and indistinct the
lines may have become through the corrosion or attrition of sin; and as unto
Caesar should be rendered the coins upon which his effigy appeared, so unto God
should be given the souls that bear His image. Render unto the world the
stamped pieces that are made legally current by the insignia of worldly powers,
and give unto God and His service, yourselves—the divine mintage of His eternal
realm. fn
Resurrection and Marriage in Heaven
Perhaps it was by the invitation of
Christ made two telling points in
response. First, he told the Sadducees that the question they asked was the
result of their lack of scriptural understanding. Of their number there would
be none that would marry or be given in marriage in the resurrection. This is
not to say that others cannot marry or be given in marriage in the resurrected
state. fn It is to say simply that those who have refused the proper authority
by which such marriages are performed cannot lay claim to such blessings.
(D&C 132:15-19.) Then Christ showed them the fallacy of their refusing to
believe in a resurrection. The God of Moses, through whom they got the law they
professed to believe, announced himself as "the God of Abraham, and the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." (Matt. 22:32.) Yet Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob were dead. How then could Deity be their God unless they continued to
live and unless they would arise in the resurrection?
The First Great Commandment
The Savior's adversaries had been
defeated in each of their encounters with him. Had they been wise, they would
have acknowledged their defeat and troubled him no more. But the Pharisees,
exulting in the immediate discomfiture of the Sadducees, sought to make yet
another attempt to discredit him. Huddling in some corner of the temple ground,
they continued to plot, this time choosing the most learned of their number, a
lawyer (meaning scribe or doctor of the Mosaic law), to approach Christ and
submit what appeared to them a most vexing question. It was reckoned by the
rabbis that the law contained 613 precepts—248 statements of duty and 365
prohibitions. As to the relative importance of each, they could argue endlessly.
Thus the question, "Master, which is the great commandment in the
law?" (Matt. 22:36.) In response, Jesus brushed aside the cobwebs of their
debate and turned the attention of his hearers to the foundation upon which the
law rested, saying: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
(Matt. 22:37-40.)
Again the Pharisees had erred,
perhaps in this instance in the choice of a questioner, for he appears to have
been a man of integrity. "Well, Master," he responded spontaneously,
"thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other
but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and
with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as
himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." To this Jesus
responded, "Thou art not far from the
Whose Son Is the Christ?
It was not enough that all quietly
slip away impressed that Jesus of Nazareth was a prophet of great wisdom, for
he was more than that: he was the Savior of all mankind, and such testimony
needed now to be borne. To call attention to his Messiahship, he turned
questioner and asked of the Pharisees, "What think ye of Christ? whose son
is he?" (Matt. 22:42.) They responded that he would be the son of David
and in so doing they illustrated that they sought a temporal deliverer who
would wield David's sword, sit upon David's throne, and do the works of David.
Jesus retorted by asking why David by the spirit of prophecy referred to the
Messiah as Lord, saying, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right
hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how
is he his son?" (Matt. 22:44-45; cf. Ps. 110:1.)
The issue was clearly set: The
scribes said that the Messiah was to be David's son, but David by the power of
the Holy Ghost called him Lord. Do we properly give such title to children of
our own conception? Why did David do so if he were not testifying that the Son
would be divine? Could they understand that through his mother Jesus would
claim the throne of David, while through his Father he would claim a far
greater throne and a far greater power? Such was his testimony of himself, and
so great was the spirit of it and the power of his teachings that we read:
"No man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day
forth ask him any more questions." (Matt. 22:46.)
The Great Denunciation
Addressing himself to the multitude
but more specifically to his disciples, Jesus then spoke with great plainness
about the damning religious hypocrisy that had been so fully displayed that
day. "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat," he said, and
"whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after
their works: for they say, and do not." (Matt. 23:2-3.) Until the Paschal
Lamb had been slain, until Jesus the Christ had offered himself as a sacrifice
for all, they were to respect the authority that rested in those who controlled
the temple and performed its sacred ordinances.
This is a lesson of the greatest
magnitude, reminiscent of David's refusal to lift his hand against Saul who
sought his life, for Saul was the Lord's anointed (1 Sam. 26:9); the Lord had
called him and, notwithstanding his wickedness, it was for the Lord to release
him. Yet, though the scribes and Pharisees respected the authority of those
sitting in "Moses' seat," the people were not to follow their
example, for, as Christ said, "they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be
borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them
with one of their fingers." (Matt. 23:4.) They were masters of religious
pomp, making great display of their supposed righteousness and glorying in the
honors of their fellow worshipers. As one cannot be saved in falsehood, so one
cannot be edified in following bad examples. All are agents unto themselves,
and all will be judged for what they have done or failed to do; none will be
excused in works of wickedness on the guise that they mistakenly followed the
example of false prophets or the unworthy example of hypocritical religious
leaders. Christ further warned against those who exalt themselves, for such, he
said, "shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be
exalted." (Matt. 23:12.) He then burst forth upon the scribes and
Pharisees with eight denunciations, which aptly typify the world of religious
hypocrisy. They are as follows:
First, he condemned those who
"shut up the kingdom of heaven," not qualifying themselves and
hindering any that would desire to do so. (Matt. 23:13.) Such are those who
rejected Jesus as the Christ and the plan of salvation. Today they are found
rejecting the testimony that Joseph Smith is a prophet and opposing the message
of the restored gospel.
Second, he condemned those who hide
their greed and meanness under the cloak of piety. Such, he said, "devour
widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer." (Matt. 23:14.)
Third, he denounced missionaries of
false faiths who travel over "land and sea to make one proselyte, and when
he is made, [they] make him twofold more the child of hell than
[themselves.]" (Matt. 23:15.) There is no salvation in false religion,
notwithstanding the enthusiasm of its converts.
Fourth, he directed condemnation at
those who perfect the art of breaking their bond while appearing sanctimonious.
(Matt. 23:16-22.) The word or oath of such is nothing more than bait in games
of trickery. They are indeed morally blind.
Fifth, he denounced the "blind
guides" who subverted eternal truths in their excessive zeal for trifles.
Exactness in the performance of outward ordinances supplanted for them even an
interest in the inward or spiritual meanings intended behind their ritual. They
jealously tended to the rituals that testified and taught of Christ at the same
time that they rejected and killed him. (Matt. 23:23-24.) Their modern
counterparts can be found praising the Bible while rejecting the spirit of
revelation from which it sprang, and using it as the justification to reject
the testimony of living prophets.
The sixth and seventh woes are
essentially the same. Here Christ denounced that which is ceremonially clean,
while being filthy within. He aptly used the figure of a whited sepulchre
filled with decaying bodies to make his point. Commenting on this imagery Elder
Talmage wrote:
It was an awful figure, that of
likening them to whitewashed tombs, full of dead bones and rotting flesh. As
the dogmas of the rabbis made even the slightest contact with a corpse or its
cerements, or with the bier upon which it was borne, or the grave in which it
had been lain, a cause of personal defilement, which only ceremonial washing
and the offering of sacrifices could remove, care was taken to make tombs
conspicuously white, so that no person need be defiled through ignorance or
proximity to such unclean places; and, moreover, the periodical whitening of
sepulchers was regarded as a memorial act of honor to the dead. But even as no
amount of care or degree of diligence in keeping bright the outside of a tomb
could stay the putrescence going on within, so no externals of pretended
righteousness could mitigate the revolting corruption of a heart reeking with
iniquity. fn
The eighth or final woe, which is the
crown to all the others, is that they reject the living prophets while they
"garnish the sepulchres of the righteous." (Matt. 23:29.) Indeed, to
reject the prophet of any age is to reject those of all ages, for all teach the
same truths and bear the same witness.
Accountability for Their Ancestors' Sins
None can be saved alone and none come
to this earth without responsibility to others. That responsibility spans
generations; thus we are taught that "we without them [those of past
dispensations] cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made
perfect." (D&C 128:18.) Christ applied this principle to those of his
day who would reject and kill the prophets. Upon them, he said, would come
"all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous
Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias." (Matt. 23:35.) fn Thus
they would become "accountable for the sins of their fathers who through
ignorance rejected the message of salvation. . . . All these could have been
freed from their spirit prison by the men of Jesus' day, if those to whom Jesus
then preached had believed his words." fn
Jesus Laments over Doomed
Christ's teaching in the temple ended
with his oft-quoted lament over Jerusalem, the city he loved: "O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which
are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even
as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your
house is left unto you desolate." (Matt. 23:37-38.) "Truly
NOTES
Joseph F. McConkie is associate
professor of ancient scripture at
Footnotes
1. All four Gospel writers give an
account of this event. (Matt. 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John
12:12-19.) Matthew's account has the disciples bringing Christ both a colt and
its mother. This is not in harmony with the other accounts and is corrected in
the Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 21:5.
2. Adam Clarke, Clarke's
Commentary, 3 vols. (Nashville: Abingdon, 1977), 1:268. "The mule was
the proper riding beast for the king and his sons (2 Samuel 13:29; 18:9)."
George Arthur Buttrick, ed., The Interpreter's Bible, 12 vols.
(Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1954), 3:26. See also Judges 5:10; 10:4.
3. Even this did not constitute the
complete fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy. His prophecy was one of a kingdom
of peace, a day when Ephraim and Judah would again be one, a day when that
peace (that is, the gospel message) would cover the earth "from sea even
to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth." (Zech. 9:10.)
We look to a future day when that part of the prophecy not fulfilled in
Christ's first coming finds completion in the era of millennial rest.
4. Literal fulfillment of this
prophecy would come in A.D. 70, when Titus and his Roman legion would lay siege
to the city, destroy the temple so that not one stone would be left standing
upon another, and take into slavery that remnant of his people who did not
suffer death in its siege and destruction. Those of his captives who did not
die in bondage would eventually be scattered to the ends of the earth.
5. Joseph Fielding McConkie, Gospel
Symbolism (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1985), pp. 10-11.
6. Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-73),
1:585. See also JST, Matt. 21:13.
7. Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal
Messiah, 4 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1979-81), 3:356.
8. These words were part of the Hallel,
which all Jewry chanted in their ceremonies. As such, they were well known to
those whom the Savior addressed. A tradition among the Jews held that in the
building of the temple, one stone was originally rejected by the builders, who
did not know for what purpose it had been quarried. Later it was discovered
that it was indeed the chief cornerstone. See J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary
on the Holy Bible (New York: Macmillan, 1973), p. 372.
9. Joseph Fielding McConkie, Gospel
Symbolism, p. 132.
10. Clarke's Commentary 3:210.
11. Gospel Symbolism, pp.
132-33.
12. The Mortal Messiah
3:369-70.
13. Jesus the Christ (Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957), pp. 546-47.
14. This issue has been confused
among Latter-day Saints. Critics of Mormonism have frequently used this passage
to discount the principle of eternal marriage. A typical response to this
criticism has been to agree that there will be no marriage after the
resurrection, for all such matters will be attended to prior to that time. Whether
that will be the case or not, we have no way of knowing. We should remember,
however, that the first resurrection precedes the millennial era, when it is
supposed that such matters will be attended to. This passage does not say that
there cannot be marriage in the Millennium or at some subsequent time. It
simply states that unbelievers, "Sadducees," be they ancient or
modern, cannot be sealed for time and eternity. See Robert L. Millet and Joseph
Fielding McConkie, The Life Beyond (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1986),
pp. 98-100.
15. Jesus the Christ, p. 558.
16. Jesus here referred to
"Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the
altar." This has been thought to be John the Baptist's father, but this
tradition of his death comes from a late Christian apocryphal book. (See Robert
L. Millet, "The Birth and Childhood of the Messiah," chapter 8 of
this volume, note 20.) The idea also finds expression in Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 261, which may not have been written by the
Prophet. The Zechariah familiar to Jesus' audience was the son of Jehoiada who
rebuked
17. The Mortal Messiah 3:405.
18. Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary 1:626.
(Kent P.
Jackson and Robert L. Millet, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 5: The
Gospels [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1986], 373.)
(Luke 10:25-28.) – The
written word over the oral interpretation.
They interpreted the law incorrectly.
Also, Christ teaches about the 2 great commandments: 1. Love God with
all that you have, Deut 6. 2. Love they neighbor as thyself, Lev 19. Love God and build up His kingdom, as you
put God first your relationship with man will be correct.
25 ¶ And, behold, a
certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to
inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him, What
is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him,
Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
The same
story is given in Matthew 22:23-34.
Pharisees –
Jewish culture
Sadducees –
Greek culture
Christ
tells both groups they do err in not knowing the scriptures
Signs of the Times
March 22, 2007
Matthew 23
– The Scribes and Pharisees laid heavy emphasis on the oral interpretations of the written
law which became burdensome for the people to bear. The people followed the Pharisees actions
which were for show and ritual; the people could not see the
Jesus and the Jewish Rulers
The relationship between Jesus and
the Jewish rulers was often adversarial. It was inevitable that differences
would exist, for Jesus brought the pure doctrine and philosophy of heaven,
whereas many of the people and their rulers were saturated in selfishness,
materialism, priestcraft, and the pleasures of the flesh. The principle on
which this conflict arose is expressed as follows: "And this is the condemnation,
that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light,
neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that
doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they
are wrought in God." (John 3:19-21.)
Such conflict is not limited to Jesus only,
for his true prophets and Apostles always find themselves at variance with the
ways and desires of the natural, fallen world of mankind. Such differences
began in the premortal life with the rebellion of Lucifer and the war in
heaven; and it has continued on the earth to this day. The conflict was
especially sharp and visible in the New Testament because Jesus is the purest
and greatest
of all men, and the Jews of that
particular time and place were among the most wicked of all time (2 Ne. 10:3).
The doctrine taught by Jesus called
for a higher standard of personal integrity and purity of life than most unrepentant
mortals are willing to tolerate. Jesus told those Jews, who regarded themselves
as the favorites of heaven, that they were in fact the enemies of the very God
they claimed to worship. Since they could neither ignore, nor silence, nor
tolerate him, they sought to destroy his influence, and eventually to remove
him altogether.
It was necessary that Jesus testify
of their wickedness so as to give them a chance to repent, and also, in case
they persisted, to leave them without excuse on the day of judgment. It was
also necessary that Jesus proclaim against the false doctrine and works of the
corrupt leaders as a clear message to the people. To have kept silent in the
midst of such flagrant corruption and public misdeeds would be to condone the
leaders' wicked behavior and send the wrong message to the masses of the
people. There were some among the leaders who were favorable to Jesus.
Apparently Joseph of Arimathaea, and to some extent Nicodemus, were disciples.
There may have been others. Certainly there were some who knew Jesus was right,
but who lacked the courage to publicly agree with him. The record indicates,
however, that there were a substantial number of the leaders who openly and
repeatedly opposed the Savior. The Joseph Smith Translation adds this comment:
"And the common people heard him gladly; but the high priest and the
elders were offended at him" ([Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible]. The
Holy Scriptures: Inspired Version.
When wicked persons seek to destroy a
righteous prophet, there are several avenues available. Often they attempt to
refute his doctrine. When that fails they attack his character. We find the
following items with regard to the Jewish rulers and Jesus. These attacks were
made primarily during the last two years of his ministry. . .
The Prophet Joseph Smith said that if
Jesus had come to earth and preached the same "rough things" and the
"same doctrine" in the Prophet's day as he did to the Jews, that generation
too would put him to death (Joseph Fielding Smith, comp. Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith.
(Robert J.
Matthews, Behold the Messiah [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1994], 260.)
(JST Matthew 23:2-25.) – The
condemnation of the leaders who should be teaching the people the true
doctrine, Christ teaches what should be done, the oral law does not sanctify
2 All, therefore,
whatsoever they bid you observe, they will make you observe and do; for they
are ministers of the law, and they make themselves your judges. But do not ye
after their works; for they say, and do not.
3 For they bind heavy burdens
and lay on men's shoulders, and they are grievous to be borne; but they will
not move them with one of their fingers.
4 And all their works they
do to be seen of men. They make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the
borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the
chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called
of men, Rabbi, Rabbi, (which is master.)
5 But be not ye called
Rabbi; for one is your master, which is Christ; and all ye are brethren.
6 And call no one your
creator upon the earth, or your heavenly Father; for one is your creator and
heavenly Father, even he who is in heaven.
7 Neither be ye called
masters; for one is your master, even he whom your heavenly Father sent, which
is Christ; for he hath sent him among you that ye might have life.
8 But he that is greatest
among you shall be your servant.
9 And whosoever shall
exalt himself shall be abased of him; and he that shall humble himself shall be
exalted of him.
10 But woe unto you,
Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against
men; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering
to go in.
11 Woe unto you, Scribes
and Pharisees! for ye are hypocrites! Ye devour widows' houses, and for a
pretense make long prayers; therefore ye shall receive the greater punishment.
12 Woe unto you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte;
and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than he was
before, like unto yourselves.
13 Woe unto you, blind
guides, who say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but
whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he committeth sin, and is a
debtor.
14 You are fools and
blind; for which is the greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the
gold?
15 And ye say, Whosoever
sweareth by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that
is upon it, he is guilty.
16 O fools, and blind! For
which is the greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
17 Verily I say unto you,
Whoso, therefore, sweareth by it, sweareth by the altar, and by all things
thereon.
18 And whoso shall swear
by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him who dwelleth therein.
19 And he that shall swear
by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him who sitteth thereon.
20 Woe unto you, Scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin; and
have omitted the weightier things of the law; judgment, mercy, and faith; these
ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
21 Ye blind guides, who
strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel; who make yourselves appear unto men that
ye would not commit the least sin, and yet ye yourselves, transgress the whole
law.
22 Woe unto you, Scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup, and of the
platter; but within they are full of extortion and excess.
23 Ye blind Pharisees!
Cleanse first the cup and platter within, that the outside of them may be clean
also.
24 Woe unto you, Scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed
appear beautiful outwardly, but are within full of the bones of the dead, and
of all uncleanness.
25 Even so, ye also
outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and
iniquity.
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:20-22.) – The law God has given is to help people to become sanctified,
dedicated and consecrated.
20 That bodies who are of
the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever; for, for this intent was
it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified.
21 And they who are not sanctified through the law which I
have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even
that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.
22 For he who is not able
to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.
(Doctrine and Covenants
88:68.) – Sanctify ourselves that our minds become single to God
68
Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the
days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you,
and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own
will.
The Do’s
and Don’ts do not sanctify because they are not the law. The Holy Ghost sanctifies, keeping the law
gives us access to the Holy Ghost, understand the doctrine behind the
principle.
(Matthew 23:37, 39.) –
Reference to the parable of the wicked husbandman, verse 39 is a reference to
the 2nd coming.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto
thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen
gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
39 For I say unto you, Ye
shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord.
D&C
45:16-61 = Matthew 24-25 along with JST Matthew, read the Lord’s revelation to
understand the New Testament part of Matthew 24-25.
Doctrine and Covenants 45:11-12. The revelation recorded in Doctrine
and Covenants 45 was received in
New Testament Translation
Doctrine and Covenants 45:60-62. During the course of the revelation
recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 45, the Lord reviewed scenes and teachings
he had given to the Twelve on the
Scholars who have devoted a great
amount of time and effort in studying the surviving biblical texts and languages
sometimes hesitate to view the Joseph Smith Translation as even a partial
restoration of what was written originally in the Bible. Because there are no
known original documents of the Bible now available, there is no easy
comparison.
Nevertheless, no one would say that
the Lord could not reveal the original text. We learn from 1 Nephi 13:24
through 40 and from Moses 1:40 and 41 that plain and precious parts would be
taken out, lost, held back, and removed from the biblical text—but that these
things would be restored. These passages seem to speak not only of a loss of
meaning but also of a loss of text (1 Nephi 13:28, 29, 32, 34, 40, and Moses
1:41). The language of these passages seems to mean that actual parts have been
taken out of the book of the Jews, which is the Bible.
It is instructive to notice that part of Doctrine and Covenants 45
declares itself to be a repetition of a conversation that Jesus held with the
Twelve on the
If the Lord can and did restore one
such event, he could and no doubt would do so with other events. Although not
every word in the Joseph Smith Translation is necessarily restored text, yet we
ought to allow for that kind of revelatory process and hold to the concept that
the Joseph Smith Translation is at the least a restoration of original meaning,
doctrinal content, and also of text if necessary.
(Leon R. Hartshorn, Dennis A. Wright,
and Craig J. Ostler, eds., The Doctrine and Covenants, a Book of Answers:
The 25th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1996], 41.)
Admonitions for the Priesthood of God
I have some thoughts—notes
that I thought I might be prompted to use tonight. So, if the Lord is willing,
I should like to talk to you now for a few minutes in this great conference.
I had a lesson years ago as
to the greatness of priesthood. It had to do with the call of the First
Presidency for me to come to their office on a day that I shall never
forget—April 20, 1935. I was city commissioner in
We had been wrestling with
this question of welfare. There were few government work programs; the finances
of the Church were low; we were told that there wasn’t much that could be done
so far as the finances of the Church were concerned. And here we were with
4,800 of our 7,300 people who were wholly or partially dependent. We had only
one place to go, and that was to apply the Lord’s program as set forth in the
revelations.
It was from our humble
efforts that the First Presidency, knowing that we had had some experience,
called me one morning asking if I would come to their office. It was Saturday
morning; there were no calls on their calendar, and for hours in that forenoon
they talked with me and told me that they wanted me to resign from the city
commission, and they would release me from being stake president; that they
wished me now to head up the welfare movement to turn the tide from government
relief, direct relief, and help to put the Church in a position where it could
take care of its own needy.
After that morning I rode in
my car (spring was just breaking) up to the head of City Creek Canyon into what
was then called Rotary Park; and there, all by myself, I offered one of the
most humble prayers of my life.
There I was, just a young
man in my thirties. My experience had been limited. I was born in a little
country town in
As I kneeled
down, my petition was, “What kind of an organization should be set up in order
to accomplish what the Presidency has assigned?” And there came to me on that
glorious morning one of the most heavenly realizations of the power of the
priesthood of God. It was as though something were saying to me, “There is no
new organization necessary to take care of the needs of this people. All that
is necessary is to put the priesthood of God to work. There is nothing else
that you need as a substitute.”
With that understanding,
then, and with the simple application of the power of the priesthood, the
welfare program has gone forward now by leaps and bounds, overcoming obstacles
that seemed impossible, until now it stands as a monument to the power of the
priesthood, the like of which I could only glimpse in those days to which I
have made reference.
Now, with that understanding
of priesthood power, let me speak of a few other matters that have come to my
mind tonight.
There are two scriptures I
would have you think of as applicable today as they were in the period
following the advent of the Savior in the meridian of time in the
post-apostolic period. In the Acts of the Apostles, the apostle Paul gave these
charges to the elders of
“Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers, to feed the
“For I know this, that after
my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
“Also of your own selves
shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.”
(Acts
20:28–30.)
And then the apostle Paul
wrote to the Galatians:
“I marvel that ye are so
soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another
gospel:
“Which is not another; but
there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
“But though we, or an angel
from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that we have preached unto
you, let him be accursed.
“As we said before, so say I
now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have
received, let him be accursed.
“For … I certify you,
brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
“For I neither received it
of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Gal. 1:6–12.)
Today those
warnings are just as applicable as they were in that day in which they were
given.
There are some as wolves
among us. By that, I mean some who profess membership in this church who are
not sparing the flock. And among our own membership, men are arising speaking
perverse things. Now perverse means
diverting from the right or correct, and being obstinate in the wrong,
willfully, in order to draw the weak and unwary members of the Church away
after them.
And as the apostle Paul
said, it is likewise a marvel to us today, as it was in that day, that some
members are so soon removed from those who taught them the gospel and are
removed from the true teachings of the gospel of Christ to be led astray into
something that corrupts the true doctrines of the gospel of Christ into vicious
and wicked practices and performances.
These, as have been
evidenced by shocking events among some of these splinter groups, have been
accursed, as the prophets warned; and they are obviously in the power of that
evil one who feeds the gullible with all the sophistries which Satan has
employed since the beginning of time.
I should like now to make
reference to some of these. The first is the spread of rumor and gossip (we
have mentioned this before) which, when once started, gains momentum as each
telling becomes more fanciful, until unwittingly those who wish to dwell on the
sensational repeat them in firesides, in classes, in Relief Society gatherings
and priesthood quorum classes without first verifying the source before becoming
a party to causing speculation and discussions that steal time away from the
things that would be profitable and beneficial and enlightening to their souls.
Just an example: I
understand that there is a widely circulated story that I was alleged to have
had a patriarchal blessing (I don’t know whether any of you have heard about
that) that had to do with the coming of the Savior and the ten tribes of
In the first place, a
patriarchal blessing is a sacred document to the person who has received it and
is never given for publication and, as all patriarchal blessings, should be
kept as a private possession to the one who has received it.
And second, with reference
to that which I was alleged to have had, suffice it to say that such a quotation
is incorrect and without foundation in fact.
There is one thing that
shocks me: I have learned, in some instances, that those who have heard of
these rumors are disappointed when I tell them they are not so. They seem to
have enjoyed believing a rumor without substance of fact. I would earnestly
urge that no such idle gossip be spread abroad without making certain as to
whether or not it is true.
The First Presidency in
August 1913 issued a warning to the members of the Church which could bear
repeating today. Let me read you a few things that were said then:
“To the officers and members
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
“From the days of Hiram Page
(Doc. and Cov., Sec. 28) [D&C 28], at different periods there have been
manifestations from delusive spirits to members of the Church. Sometimes these
have come to men and women who because of transgression became easy prey to the
Arch-Deceiver. At other times people who pride themselves on their strict
observance of the rules and ordinances and ceremonies of the Church are led
astray by false spirits, who exercise an influence so imitative of that which
proceeds from at Divine source that even these persons, who think they are ‘the
very elect,’ find it difficult to discern the essential difference. Satan
himself has transformed himself to be apparently ‘an angel of light.’
“When visions, dreams,
tongues, prophecy, impressions or an extraordinary gift or inspiration convey
something out of harmony with the accepted revelations of the Church or
contrary to the decisions of its constituted authorities, Latter-day Saints may
know that it is not of God, no matter how plausible it may appear. Also, they
should understand that directions for the guidance of the Church will come, by
revelation, through the head. All faithful members are entitled to the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit for themselves, their families, and for those
over whom they are appointed and ordained to preside. But anything at discord
with that which comes from God through the head of the Church is not to be
received as authoritative or reliable. In secular as well as spiritual affairs,
Saints may receive Divine guidance and revelation affecting themselves, but this
does not convey authority to direct others, and is not to be accepted when
contrary to Church covenants, doctrine or discipline, or to known facts,
demonstrated truths, or good common sense. No person has the right to induce
his fellow members of the Church to engage in speculations or take stock in
ventures of any kind on the specious claim of Divine revelation or vision or
dream, especially when it is in opposition to the voice of recognized
authority, local or general. The Lord’s Church ‘is a house of order.’ It is not
governed by individual gifts or manifestations, but by the order and power of
the Holy Priesthood as sustained by the voice and vote of the Church in its
appointed conferences.
“The history of the Church
records many pretended revelations claimed by impostors or zealots who believed
in the manifestations they sought to lead other persons to accept, and in every
instance, disappointment, sorrow and disaster have resulted therefrom.
Financial loss and sometimes utter ruin have followed.”
This is something that is
recurring time and time again, and we call upon you holders of the priesthood
to stamp out any such and to set to flight all such things as are creeping in,
people rising up here and there who have had some “marvelous” kind of a manifestation,
as they claim, and who try to lead the people in a course that has not been
dictated from the heads of the Church.
As I say, it
never ceases to amaze me how gullible some of our Church members are in
broadcasting these sensational stories, or dreams, or visions, some alleged to
have been given to Church leaders, past or present, supposedly from some
person’s private diary, without first verifying the report with proper Church
authorities.
If our people
want to be safely guided during these troublous times of deceit and false
rumors, they must follow their leaders and seek for the guidance of the Spirit
of the Lord in order to avoid falling prey to clever manipulators who, with
cunning sophistry, seek to draw attention and gain a following to serve their
own notions and sometimes sinister motives.
The Lord has
very plainly set forth a test by which anyone may challenge any and all who may
come claiming, clandestinely, to have received some kind of priesthood
authority. Now this is what the Lord said in the 42nd section of the Doctrine
and Covenants, verse 11:
“Again, I say
unto you, that it shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my
gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by someone who has
authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority and has been
regularly ordained by the heads of the church.” [D&C 42:11]
Now, if one
comes claiming that he has authority, ask him, “Where do you get your
authority? Have you been ordained by someone who has authority, who is known to
the Church, that you have authority and have been regularly ordained by the
heads of the Church?” If the answer is no, you may know that he is an imposter.
This is the test that our people should always apply when some imposter comes
trying to lead them astray.
Now there is
another danger that confronts us. There seem to be those among us who are as
wolves among the flock, trying to lead some who are weak and unwary among
Church members, according to reports that have reached us, who are taking the
law into their own hands by refusing to pay their income tax because they have
some political disagreement with constituted authorities.
Others have
tried to marshal civilians, without police authority, and to arm themselves to
battle against possible dangers, little realizing that in so doing they
themselves become the ones who, by obstructing the constituted authority, would
become subject to arrest and imprisonment.
We have even
heard of someone claiming Church membership in protest against pornographic
pictures being displayed in theaters, having planted bombs, and therefore
becoming subject to punishment by the law and subsequently standing judgment
before the disciplinary bodies of the Church.
While we must
stand solidly behind those who are trying to stamp out the filthy and
provocative display of so-called pornographic materials, we have but one answer
to all those who thus take such radical measures, and this is the word of the
Lord:
“Let no man
think he is ruler; but let God rule him that judgeth, according to the counsel
of his own will, or, in other words, him that counseleth or sitteth upon the
judgment seat.
“Let no man
break the laws of the land … until he reigns whose right it is to reign, and
subdues all enemies under his feet.” (D&C
58:20–22.)
I want to
warn this great body of priesthood against that great sin of
While we are
in the world, we must not be of the world. Any attempts being made by the
schools or places of entertainment to flaunt sexual perversions, which can do
nothing but excite to experimentation, must find among the priesthood in this
church a vigorous and unrelenting defense through every lawful means that can be
employed.
The common
judges of
One more matter: There are among us
many loose writings predicting the calamities which are about to overtake us.
Some of these have been publicized as though they were necessary to wake up the
world to the horrors about to overtake us. Many of these are from sources upon
which there cannot be unquestioned reliance.
Are you priesthood bearers aware of
the fact that we need no such publications to be forewarned, if we were only
conversant with what the scriptures have already spoken to us in plainness?
Let me give you the sure word of
prophecy on which you should rely for your guide instead of these strange
sources which may have great political implications.
Read the 24th chapter of
Matthew—particularly that inspired version as contained in the
Then read the 45th section of the
Doctrine and Covenants where the Lord, not man, has documented the signs of the
times. [D&C
45]
Now turn to section 101 and section 133
of the Doctrine and Covenants and hear the step-by-step recounting of events
leading up to the coming of the Savior. [D&C 101; D&C 133]
Finally, turn to the promises the
Lord makes to those who keep the commandments when these judgments descend upon
the wicked, as set forth in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 38. [D&C 38]
Brethren, these are some of the
writings with which you should concern yourselves, rather than commentaries
that may come from those whose information may not be the most reliable and
whose motives may be subject to question. And may I say, parenthetically, most
of such writers are not handicapped by having any authentic information on
their writings.
As the Lord has admonished priesthood
bearers from the beginning: “Wherefore, gird up your loins and be prepared.
Behold, the kingdom is yours, and the enemy shall not overcome.
“Verily I say unto you, ye are clean,
but not all; and there is none else with whom I am well pleased;
“For all flesh is corrupted before
me; and the powers of darkness prevail upon the earth, among the children of
men, in the presence of all the hosts of heaven—
“Which causeth silence to reign, and
all eternity is pained. …” (D&C 38:9–12.)
Now brethren,
I have spoken plainly to you in this priesthood session. Let what has been said
by all the brethren tonight, and in this conference, not fall on deaf ears. Let
these admonitions be received as the Lord directed they should be received, in
an early revelation, to which President Tanner has already made reference, “as
if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.” (D&C 21:5.)
Only by so
doing can we be truly one as a body of priesthood, by following the leadership
that the Lord has established in our day in order that we may be one. And he
warns us if we are not one, we are not his, as he has declared in the Doctrine
and Covenants.
There are one
or two things I should like to say about myself and this present
responsibility. Never had I thought of myself as one day becoming the President
of the Church. As a boy in my rural community, I used to hear the brethren talk
about a “pillar” in the Church. I wondered what in the world it meant. It must
be something great to be a pillar in the Church. Well, now, maybe I am
beginning to realize something about what that means, but I know this: those
who try to guess ahead of time as to who is going to be the next President of
the Church are just gambling as they might be on a horse race, because only the
Lord has the time table.
I remember
one time Elder Charles A. Callis in a Council of the Twelve meeting. There was
a rather spirited discussion on some questions. One of the Brethren said, “You
had better listen to Brother George Albert Smith, the President of the Twelve,
because he may be the next President of the Church.”
Brother
Callis smiled and said, “Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure. Three times in my life I
have chosen the next President of the Church, and all three of them died before
they came to the presidency.” The Lord only knows, and for us to speculate or
to presume is not pleasing in the sight of the Lord.
I have one
other thought I should like to express. Brigham Young was a great defender of
the Prophet Joseph Smith. There were Judases in the ranks in that day, just as
there were in the Savior’s day, and just as we have today, some who are members
of the Church who are undercutting us, who are betraying their trusts. We are
shocked when we see the places from which some of these things come.
Brigham Young
was invited by some of these men who were trying to depose the Prophet Joseph
from his position as President of the Church; but they made a mistake by
inviting President Brigham Young into their circle. And after he had listened
to what their motives were, he said something to this effect: “I want to say
something to you men. You cannot destroy the appointment of a prophet of God,
but you can cut the thread that binds you to the prophet of God, and sink yourselves
to hell.”
There was a
pugilist there by the name of Jacob Bump, so the story goes, who doubled up his
fists and started toward President Young, who replied to this man’s threats: “I
would like to lay hands on a man like you in defense of the Prophet Joseph
Smith.”
Remember
that, brethren. You cannot destroy the appointments of the prophets of God. The
Lord knows whom he wants to preside in his church, and sometimes it takes a lot
of practicing, guiding, testing, before he may know whether or not one of us is
prepared for the present assignment.
Now I think
it is folly for one to compare one President of the Church with another. No one
takes the place of another President of the Church. Each President has his own
place. I had a lesson taught me some years ago when, in company with one of the
brethren, I had reorganized the presidency of the Ensign Stake. We had named
the bishop of one of the wards as stake president. It was near the end of the
year, and he elected to remain as bishop, along with his first counselor, who
was a bishop, until they had closed the books at the end of the year.
Six weeks
after they were sustained, the stake president suddenly passed away.
Then I began
to receive a barrage of letters. Where in the world was the inspiration for you
to call a man whom the Lord was going to let die in six weeks? They invited me
to talk at his services, and some seemed to be expecting me to try to explain
why I had appointed a man that the Lord was going to take home in six weeks.
President Joseph
Fielding Smith sat on the stand and heard my attempt to satisfy these people,
and he said to me, “Don’t you let that bother you. If you have called a man to
a position in this church and he dies the next day, that position would have a
bearing on what he will be called to do when he leaves this earth.”
I believe
that. I believe that every President of this church, every apostle of this
church, every bishop, every stake president, every presiding position will have
a bearing on what one is called to do when he leaves this earth.
And so, when
you think of one President taking the place of another, he doesn’t. That
President maintains his own place. We shouldn’t try to compare one as being
greater than this one or greater than the other, because each one is, in the
eyes of the Lord, in his own time the one most needed for that particular time.
You may be sure of that.
Now, just one
final thought. I sat in a class in Sunday School in my own ward one day, and
the teacher was the son of a patriarch. He said he used to take down the
blessings of his father, and he noticed that his father gave what he called
“iffy” blessings. He would give a blessing, but it was predicated on “if you
will not do this” or “if you will cease doing that.” And he said, “I watched these
men to whom my father gave the ‘iffy’ blessings, and I saw that many of them
did not heed the warning that my father as a patriarch had given, and the
blessings were never received because they did not comply.”
You know,
this started me thinking. I went back into the Doctrine and Covenants and began
to read the “iffy” revelations that have been given to the various brethren in
the Church. If you want to have an exercise in something that will startle you,
read some of the warnings that were given through the Prophet Joseph Smith to
Thomas B. Marsh, Martin Harris, some of the Whitmer brothers, William E.
McLellin—warnings which, had they heeded, some would not have fallen by the
wayside. But because they did not heed, and they didn’t clear up their lives,
they fell by the wayside, and some had to be dropped from membership in the
Church.
Now, there is
one thing that I think we should all be mindful of. I was with a group of
missionaries in the temple one day. A question was asked by one of the sisters
about the Word of Wisdom, concerning the promise made that if one would keep
the Word of Wisdom he should run and not be weary and should walk and not
faint. And she said, “How could that promise be realized if a person were
crippled? How could he receive the blessing that he could run and not be weary,
and walk and not faint, if he were crippled?”
I answered
her, “Did you ever doubt the Lord? The Lord said that.”
The trouble
with us today, there are too many of us who put question marks instead of
periods after what the Lord says. I want you to think about that. We shouldn’t
be concerned about why he said something, or whether or not it can be made so.
Just trust the Lord. We don’t try to find the answers or explanations. We
shouldn’t try to spend time explaining what the Lord didn’t see fit to explain.
We spend useless time.
If you would
teach our people to put periods and not question marks after what the Lord has
declared, we would say, “It is enough for me to know that is what the Lord
said.”
Elder Gordon
B. Hinckley told a story after going into
Brother
Hinckley said to him, “What is it going to do to you when you get back home now
that you have joined the Church?”
“Oh,” said
the youth, “I will be cast out. My family will disown me. I will have
difficulty in school. I will have no military rank.”
Elder
And this
young man looked at Elder Hinckley and said, “Well, the gospel is true, isn’t
it?”
That was a
soul-searching question for Brother Hinckley, who replied: “Yes, my boy, with
all my soul, the gospel is true.”
And then this
young man said, “Well, what else matters then?”
Brethren of
the priesthood, if the gospel of Jesus Christ is true—and it is true—what else
matters? The Lord may bless us with that rock-bottom testimony that will guide
us through all the perils of life if we will just continue to say to ourselves,
“Because I know that the gospel is true, nothing else matters.”
I bear you my
solemn witness that it is true, that the Lord is in his heavens; he is closer
to us than you have any idea. You ask when the Lord gave the last revelation to
this church. The Lord is giving revelations day by day, and you will witness
and look back on this period and see some of the mighty revelations the Lord
has given in your day and time. To that I bear you my witness, and leave with
you my testimony this night, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
What to read and study
to understand the Signs of the Times;
- JS Matthew 24-25 – A rewording
of Matthew 24-25, sequence of events
- Doctrine and Covenants 45:16-61
– Further information on Matthew 24
- Doctrine and Covenants 101, 133
– Events of the 2nd Coming
- Doctrine and Covenants 29, 43,
77, and 88 – Additional information, but not step by step
- Doctrine and Covenants 38 -
Promises
(Joseph Smith-Matthew: 4.)
– The Apostles asked the Lord 2 questions.
Verses 5-20 answered the 1st question. Verses 21-48 answered the 2nd
question
4
And Jesus left them, and went upon the
1st
Question – verses 5-20 – Destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD
2nd
Question – verses 21-48 – Signs of the 2nd Coming and the
destruction of the world
(Joseph Smith-Matthew:
12.) – The
12
When you, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by
Daniel the prophet, concerning the destruction of
The Essenes of Qumran represented one
kind of pious response to the problems in
Josephus traces the origins of the
Zealot sect to a man from the northern region of the Holy Land, the
For Judas and Sadduc, who excited a
fourth philosophic sect among us, and had a great many followers therein,
filled our civil government with tumults at present, and laid the foundation of
our future miseries, by this system of philosophy, which we were before
unacquainted withal; . . . the infection which spread thence among the younger
sort, who were zealous for it, brought the public to destruction. fn
Josephus refers to the new sect as
Judaism's "fourth philosophy" to distinguish it from the other
three—the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. fn Significantly, he indicates
that the movement was responsible in some fundamental way for the later
downfall of the Jewish state.
Apart from the three years in which
Herod's grandson Agrippa I (A.D. 41-44) ruled as king in
Most Jews probably regarded the Roman
governors as idolaters, as indeed, they were. They were also, for the most
part, both brutal and greedy, seeking to amass quick wealth and not above
misusing their considerable powers for selfish purposes. They shuttled between
their official headquarters in Caesarea on the coast and
Against the backdrop of growing
unrest in Judaea,
Fourth, even though tensions were
mounting,
Fifth,
Sixth, and finally, there seems to
have been a general desire among Jews of Jerusalem to accommodate themselves to
"equitable" Roman officers in their provincial arrangement. fn
Influenced by the Pharisees, some may actually have welcomed direct Roman rule
after A.D. 6, with the idea that it would bring the Jews greater autonomy than
they had had under the Herodian vassal kings. fn
Prelude to War
The progressive deterioration of the
relationship between the Jews and the Romans after A.D. 48 is shown in the
writings of Josephus. He gives a brief notice from the procuratorship of
Tiberius Alexander (A.D. 46-48) about the family of Judas the Galilean:
"The sons of Judas of Galilee were now slain; I mean of that Judas who
caused the people to revolt, when Cyrenius came to take an account of the
estates of the Jews, as we have shewn in a foregoing book. The names of those
sons were James and Simon, whom Alexander commanded to be crucified." fn
We know nothing of the activities of
Judas' sons before this incident. James and Simon may have been quite young in
A.D. 6. or they may have just been emerging at the time of Tiberius Alexander
to initiate renewed resistance to
But peace did not last long. Events
during the procuratorship of Cumanus (A.D. 48-52) led to armed clashes between Jews
and Romans, and, tragically, between Jews and Jews. The first incident occurred
in
National mourning over these deaths
had hardly ceased when a group of seditious Jews plundered the caravan of a
Roman imperial official on the road to
With Jewish frustration intensifying,
the atmosphere throughout the villages in the
Complete disaster was averted that
time as the Jews complied and returned home. But Josephus indicates that from
that time forth active insurrection against the Romans became widespread:
"The Jews complied with these persuasions of theirs, and dispersed
themselves; but still there were a great number who betook themselves to
robbing, in hopes of impunity; and rapines and insurrections of the bolder sort
happened over the whole country." fn "And after this time all Judea
was overrun with robberies [or, infested with bands of brigands]." fn
This disorder in the countryside went
from bad to worse during the tenure of the next procurator, Felix (A.D. 52-60).
He was ill-prepared for his governmental post; corruption of both his public
and his private life as well as ineffectiveness plagued his administration and
made him offensive to the Jews. fn An example of this corruption is found in
Acts 24:24-27, which recounts Felix's attempt to extort a bribe from Paul, who
was under house arrest at
The last three procurators—Festus
(A.D. 60-62), Albinus (A.D. 62-64), and Florus (A.D. 64-66)—worsened the
already chaotic situation and reflected the corruption of the Roman emperor
himself, Nero (A.D. 54-68). Albinus stole public and private funds, accepted
bribes to release brigands, and emptied the prisons of all but the worst
criminals. fn Revolutionary activity in the Judaean countryside was
widespread. The utter absence of authority in the land and the offensive
actions of the Romans outraged the ordinary Jewish citizen and gave incentive
to robbers and Sicarii to wreak havoc at will. fn
Dissension in
The unrest and disorder in the
countryside of Judaea, which began late in the procuratorship of Cumanus (A.D.
48-52) ultimately became manifest in
When the country was purged of these,
there sprang up another sort of robbers in Jerusalem, which were called
Sicarii, who slew men in the daytime, and in the midst of the city; this they
did chiefly at the festivals, when they mingled themselves among the multitude,
and concealed daggers under their garments, with which they stabbed those that
were their enemies; and when any fell down dead, the murderers became a part of
those that had indignation against them; by which means they appeared persons
of such reputation, that they could by no means be discovered. The first man
who was slain by them was Jonathan the high priest, after whose death many were
slain every day, while the fear men were in of being so served was more
afflicting than the calamity itself; and while everybody expected death every
hour, as men do in war, so men were obliged to look before them, and to take
notice of their enemies at a great distance. fn
The Sicarii did not inflict their
tyranny and terror only on Roman sympathizers, nor were they bent on
eliminating only those Jews who cooperated with
Nephi, son of Helaman, describes the
plans and principles by which secret combinations have operated in all ages of
history (see 3 Ne. 6:28-30). He notes that their members covenant with one
another in secret. They combine against the righteous, the innocent, and the
unwitting. They seek to deliver the guilty from the grasp of justice. They set
at defiance the laws of their own country. And they destroy their governors.
Nephi's teachings parallel those of his father, whose observations about his
own times round out our picture of the way in which secret combinations hasten
the dissolution of civilized societies:
They did unite with those bands of
robbers, and did enter into their covenants and their oaths, that they would
protect and preserve one another in whatsoever difficult circumstances they
should be placed, that they should not suffer for their murders, and their
plunderings, and their stealings.
And it came to pass that they did
have their signs, yea, their secret signs, and their secret words; and this
that they might distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant, that
whatsoever wickedness his brother should do he should not be injured by his
brother, nor by those who did belong to his band, who had taken this covenant.
And thus they might murder, and
plunder, and steal, and commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness, contrary
to the laws of their country and also the laws of their God. (Hel. 6:21-23)
All of the destructive elements in
Nephite society can also be observed in the social environment of
This lawlessness played into the
hands of the Sicarii during the rule of the procurator Albinus (A.D. 62-64),
who came to
Impetus to revolt against Roman
authority, and even authority in general, was now running high both in
The First Jewish War
The actions of the procurator Gessius
Florus (A.D. 64-66), who returned to the policy of ruling with a strong hand,
provided the final impulse to bloody revolution. A violent clash between Jews
and Greeks at
In the summer of A.D. 66, the
procurator confiscated seventeen talents from the
King Agrippa II tried to persuade the
citizens of
With
Control of the city thus slipped from
the hands of the chief priests and leading Pharisees when they were unable to
dissuade the lower priests from this "strange innovation" that would
provoke war with
So they made use of stones and slings
perpetually against one another, and threw darts continually on both sides! and
sometimes it happened that they made excursions by troops, and fought it out
hand to hand, while the seditious were superior in boldness, but the king's
soldiers in skill. These last strove chiefly to gain the temple, and to drive
those out of it who profaned it; as did the seditious, with Eleazar (besides
what they had already) labour[ing] to gain the upper city. Thus were their
perpetual slaughters on both sides for seven days' time; but neither side would
yield up the parts they had seized upon. fn
During this time Eleazar held a
Menahem's control of the rebellion
was ended when Eleazar's partisans rejected Menahem's messianic claims to
absolute authority. They tortured and killed him and forced his followers,
including the Sicarii, to flee to
It is not clear who was in charge of
So unexpected and sensational was
this victory that most Jews leaned toward the rebels, who put
Shaken by the success of the Jewish
revolt, Nero sent
In the south, the revolutionaries at
In the winter of A.D. 67-68, a group
of revolutionaries led by yet another Eleazar (son of Simon) seized the
The Zealot party in
The reemergence of the Zealots was
not without grave difficulties for the city of
Thousands of Jerusalemites were
killed and the city looted by the fury of the Zealots and Idumaeans. The leader
of the provisional government and his immediate subordinate were executed while
many of the citizens of the city were being slaughtered. The youth of the
nobility were also killed, tortured, or imprisoned. Eminent citizens were
brought before a newly summoned Sanhedrin on charges of treason and sometimes
executed without due process. fn It is little wonder that Josephus accused the
Zealots of bringing about the dissolution of laws and society in
The Siege of
By the spring of A.D. 69, Vespasian
had completely isolated
With the approach of the Romans, the
wrenching conflicts between the Zealots and the people of
The Romans set up a main camp
northwest of the city (the area known today as the Russian Compound) and a
secondary one on the
By August 6, the daily
As the
On August 30, Roman forces captured
the
Pouring into the alleys, sword in
hand, [the soldiers] massacred indiscriminately all whom they met, and burnt
the houses with all who had taken refuge within. Often in the course of their
raids, on entering the houses for loot, they would find whole families dead and
the rooms filled with victims of the famine. . . . Running everyone through who
fell in their way, they choked the alleys with corpses and deluged the whole
city with blood, insomuch that many of the fires were extinguished by the gory
stream. Towards the evening they ceased slaughtering, but when night fell the
fire gained the mastery. fn
The
By the decree of Titus, the people of
Now the number of those that were
carried captive during this whole war was collected to be ninety-seven
thousand; as was the number of those that perished during the whole siege,
eleven hundred thousand, the greater part of whom were indeed of the same
nation [with the citizens of Jerusalem,] but not belonging to the city itself.
fn
Caesar [Titus] gave orders that they
should now demolish the entire city and temple, but should leave as many of the
towers standing as were of the greatest eminency; that is, Phasaelus, and
Hippicus, and Mariamne, and so much of the wall as enclosed the city on the
west side. . . . but for all the rest of the wall it was so thoroughly laid
even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was
left nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been
inhabited. fn
Titus left the city and traveled in a
roundabout route back to
Back in
The destruction of the
Conclusion
Can anyone doubt that wickedness
destroyed
All sorts of misfortunes also sprang
from these men, and the nation was infected with this doctrine to an incredible
degree; one violent war came upon us after another, and we lost our friends,
who used to alleviate our pain; there were also very great robberies and
murders of our principal men. This was done in pretence indeed for the public
welfare, but in reality for the hopes of gain to themselves; whence arose
seditions, and from them murders of men, which sometimes fell on those of their
own people, (by the madness of these men towards one another, while their
desire was that none of the adverse party might be left,) and sometimes on
their enemies . . . nay the sedition at last increased so high, that the very
temple of God was burnt down by their enemy's fire. fn
The first century after Christ was
not the only time in
Daughters of
For, behold, the days are coming, in
the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never
bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Then shall they begin to say to the
mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. (Luke 23:28-30)
Truly this prediction was fulfilled
in the devastation of Jerusalem in the year A.D. 70, described by the Savior in
his Olivet discourse as the "abomination of desolation" (JS-M 1:12).
On that occasion, also during the last week of his mortal ministry, he had
warned his disciples that in the coming days there would be "great
tribulation on the Jews, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, such as was not
before sent upon Israel" (JS-M 1:18).
Why did all the prophecies,
scriptural predictions, forestalled chastisements, and careful warnings of past
ages converge in force during the years from A.D. 66 to 70 in
The reason
The events of A.D. 70 should not have
been surprising to the inhabitants of the
And now the ax was laid at
the root of the rotted tree.
And come it did, in
vengeance, without restraint. Hunger exceeded human endurance; blood flowed in
the streets; destruction made desolate the temple; 1,100,000 Jews were
slaughtered;
But what of the saints who
dwelt in
Josephus was a remarkable eyewitness
to the great calamity of the first century after Christ. He felt that he had
been raised up by God to recount the episodes of
Notes
1. Epstein, Judaism, 105.
2. Josephus, Wars 2.4.1; Antiquities
17.10.5.
3. Gamala was technically in the
district of Gaulanitis, but it was popularly identified with
4. Josephus, Wars 2.8.1.
5. Josephus, Antiquities
18.1.1.
6. Josephus, Antiquities
18.1.1, 6.
7. Russell, Between the Testaments,
38.
8. This translation of Josephus, Antiquities
18.1.1 is found in
9. A good example is the clash caused
by Pilate's arrival as praefect in A.D. 26. It will be remembered that he
brought into
10. Annas was high priest in the days
of Jesus' youth and a man of tremendous influence, even though he had been
deposed by the Romans in A.D. 15. His son-in-law was Caiaphas, the high priest
before whom Jesus was arraigned at the time of the Crucifixion. But so powerful
was Annas that Jesus was taken first to him (see John 18:13). Annas' five sons
also served in turn as high priest.
11. Josephus, Antiquities
18.2.1.
12.
13. Josephus, Wars 2.6.2.
14. Josephus, Wars 2.6.1; Antiquities
17.11.1. See also
15. Josephus, Antiquities
20.5.2.
16. Josephus, Wars 2.17.8.
17. Josephus, Wars 7.8.1.
18. Josephus, Wars 2.12.2; Antiquities
20.5.3.
19. Josephus, Wars 2.12.2; Antiquities
20.5.4.
20.
21. Josephus, Wars 2.12.5.
22. Josephus, Wars 2.12.5.
23. Josephus, Antiquities
20.6.1. The bracketed words are an alternate translation of the passage.
24. See Tacitus, Histories,
5.9.
25. Josephus uses the term sicarii
in narratives of the period before A.D. 66 more to describe a method of
resistance than a formal sect. After A.D. 66 he uses the word Sicarii to
refer to the specific group that ends up on
26.
27.
28. Josephus, Wars 2.13.3.
29.
30. Josephus, Antiquities 20.
. .
31. Josephus, Antiquities
20.9.3.
32. Josephus, Antiquities
20.8.9.
33.
34. Josephus, Wars 2.14.5-6.
35. Josephus, Wars 2.14.4-9.
36. Josephus, Wars 2.17.1.
37. Josephus, Wars 2.17.2.
38.
39. Josephus, Wars 2.17.5.
40. Masada was a mountain fortress
hideaway near the western shore of the
41. Josephus, Wars 2.17.6-9.
42. Josephus, Wars 2.17.9-10.
43. Josephus, Wars 2.17.10.
44. Josephus, Wars 2.19.2.
45. Josephus, Wars 2.19.3-9.
See also the excellent summary in Aharoni and Avi-Yonah, Macmillan Bible
Atlas, Map 251.
46. Josephus, Wars 2.20.4.
Also Aharoni and Avi-Yonah, Macmillan Bible Atlas, Map 251. Eleazar, son
of the high priest Ananias, was assigned to Idumea in the south.
47. Aharoni and Avi-Yonah, Macmillan
Bible Atlas, Map 252, is an excellent summary.
48. The antagonism between Josephus
and John was extreme. Josephus had a reputation as a moderate; John of Gischala
was a radical and an instigator. Josephus sent letters to those towns where
John had followers, threatening to destroy their houses and property if they
did not transfer their allegiance to him. Three thousand deserted John, leaving
him only fifteen hundred men. John remained in Gischala for fear of Josephus.
See Josephus Wars 2.21.8. Gischala was the last city to be taken in the
Galilean campaign. John's escape and night flight are described by Josephus in Wars
4.2.4-5.
49. Their numbers were composed
largely of followers of Menahem, son of Judas the Galilean. See the very
negative assessment of
50.
51. Josephus, Wars 5.1.2.
52. Josephus, Wars 4.4.1.
53.
54. Josephus, Wars 2.20.3.
55.
56. Josephus, Wars 4.3.11-13.
57. Josephus, Wars
4.3.13-4.4.2.
58. Josephus, Wars
4.4.6-4.5.1.
59. Josephus, Wars 4.5.3-4.
60. Josephus, Wars 4.3.14.
61. Aharoni and Avi-Yonah, Macmillan
Bible Atlas, Maps 255, 256.
62. Aharoni and Avi-Yonah, Macmillan
Bible Atlas, Maps 255, 256.
63. Many sources contain excellent
summaries of the siege. See especially Aharoni and Avi-Yonah, Macmillan
Bible Atlas, Map 256; Klein and Klein, Temple beyond Time, 111-15;
Kenyon, Digging Up Jerusalem, 249-55. For specific points see Josephus, Wars
5; 6.
64. Aharoni and Avi-Yonah, Macmillan
Bible Atlas, Map 256.
65. Klein and Klein,
66. This quotation is excerpted from
a translation of Josephus, Wars 6.8-10 in Avigad, Discovering
Jerusalem, 137.
67. Avigad, Discovering
68. Josephus, Wars 6.9.3.
69. Josephus, Wars 8.1.1.
70. Klein and Klein,
71. Klein and Klein,
72. Josephus, Antiquities
18.1.1.
73. Tractate Sanhedrin, cited in Thy
People Shall Be My People, 75.
74. McConkie, Doctrinal New
Testament Commentary, 1:644-45. "Mothers snatched food from their
children's mouths and one mother roasted her own son to survive. The time
foreseen by Jesus when she who had no child or babe at the breast would bless
herself, or when one might call upon mountains to fall and bring merciful
release, was at hand. Women of
75. Josephus, Wars 3.8.5.
76. Josephus, Wars 6.4.5.
(David B.
Galbraith, D. Kelly Ogden, and Andrew C. Skinner, Jerusalem: The Eternal
City [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1996], 201.)
(Joseph Smith-Matthew:
18.)
18
For then, in those days, shall be great tribulation on the Jews, and upon the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, such as was not before sent upon Israel, of God,
since the beginning of their kingdom until this time; no, nor ever shall be
sent again upon Israel.
The JST on the Second Coming of
Christ
Keith W. Perkins
As with all of the work of the Prophet Joseph Smith,
the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible adds some very important information
to our gospel understanding. There are additional verses which illuminate many
aspects of the life and ministry of the Savior that cannot be found in any
other book. A classic example of this concerns the period of time following the
visit of the boy Jesus at age twelve to the temple in
For this juncture of Jesus' life,
however, three critical verses have been added to the Gospel of Matthew by the
Prophet Joseph Smith. Had they been found in the
And it came to pass that Jesus grew
up with his brethren, and waxed strong, and waited upon the Lord for the time
of his ministry to come.
And he served under his father, and
he spake not as other men, neither could he be taught; for he needed not that
any man should teach him.
And after many years, the hour of his
ministry drew nigh. (JST Matthew 3:24-26.)
As it is with these verses, so it is
with our understanding of the second coming of Christ. Truths are taught in the
JST that are found nowhere else in scripture, truths which have not only been
ignored by biblical scholars but also frequently overlooked by Latter-day
Saints. Let us first look at the changes Joseph Smith made in Matthew chapter
24, Mark chapter 13, and Luke chapter 21, which provide great insights into the
Second Coming.
One of the most significant changes
made by the Prophet in Matthew 24 is the rearrangement of the verses. The
following chart shows these changes.
Significant Changes in Verses
Matthew 24 Joseph Smith-Matthew
v. 6 v. 23, 28
v. 7 v. 29
v. 8 v. 19
v. 14 v. 31
v. 15 v. 12, 32
v. 33 v. 39
v. 34 v. 34
v. 35 v. 35
v. 36 v. 40
This rearrangement becomes very
significant when it is realized that the Prophet Joseph Smith rearranged the
verses so that those signs that apply to the destruction of the temple,
Jerusalem, and the Jews following the death of Jesus are placed in the first
portion of Matthew 24, while those verses concerning the second coming of
Christ are placed together at the end of the chapter.
Another significant change is the
many additions made by the Prophet in Mark 13 so that it now reads basically
the same as Matthew 24, with a few additions and deletions.
Let us first examine what the Savior
said about the destruction of the temple, Jerusalem and the Jews, and see how
this can help us as we prepare for his second coming. From the JST we learn
very plainly concerning the two questions the apostles were asking Jesus:
"Tell us when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the
destruction of the temple, and the Jews; and what is the sign of thy coming,
and of the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked, which is the end
of the world?" (JS-M 1:4). Notice that in this version by the Prophet we
get the definition of what the Savior meant by the end of the world—the
destruction of the wicked.
Jesus further warned them in this
chapter of a number of things that would happen prior to both events. Before
the destruction of the temple there would be false Christs who would deceive
many (v. 6). The apostles would be hated by all nations and eventually they
would be killed (v. 7). False prophets would arise who would deceive many (v.
9). Iniquity would abound and the love of many would wax cold (v. 10).
In addition to these signs given both
in Joseph Smith-Matthew and JST Mark, Luke 21 also gives us interesting
insights into those events that would precede the destruction of the
Next Jesus warned them of the great
destruction coming upon
Thus the warning of the coming
abomination of desolation was very clear:
Not only did the Lord tell his
faithful Saints what was coming upon
The Savior expressed concern over
those who might be expecting a child at the time and also that their flight not
be in the winter or on the Sabbath because of the speed with which they had to
flee (see JS-M 1:16-17). He further instructed them that despite the terrible
things that had befallen the Jews before (capture by the Babylonians,
Assyrians, etc.) the coming destruction would be the worst tribulation that had
ever befallen the nation of
Obedient to this command of the
Savior, the Jewish converts to Christianity immediately left
The rest of the apostles who were
harassed in innumerable ways, with a view to destroy them, and driven from the
Thus, by being obedient to the
command of the Lord, these early Saints escaped the terrible destruction that
came upon
(Monte S.
Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., Joseph Smith Translation: The
Restoration of Plain and Precious Things [Provo: BYU Religious Studies
Center, 1985], 237.)
Answer to the 2nd
Question
(Joseph Smith-Matthew:
21-27.) – False Christ’s will come. Wars
and rumors of wars but not the war to precede the 2nd coming, all
will know when Christ returns, it won’t be a secret.
21 Behold, these things I
have spoken unto you concerning the Jews; and again, after the tribulation of
those days which shall come upon Jerusalem, if any man shall say unto you, Lo,
here is Christ, or there, believe him not;
22 For in those days there
shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs
and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect,
who are the elect according to the covenant.
23 Behold, I speak these
things unto you for the elect's sake; and you also shall hear of wars, and
rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled, for all I have told you must come
to pass; but the end is not yet.
24 Behold, I have told you
before;
25 Wherefore, if they
shall say unto you: Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: Behold, he is in
the secret chambers; believe it not;
26 For as the light of the
morning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, and covereth
the whole earth, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
27 And now I show unto you
a parable. Behold, wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be
gathered together; so likewise shall mine elect be gathered from the four
quarters of the earth.
Conditions preceding 2nd
Coming
- False prophets come soon after
the destruction of
- D&C 137:6 – Gather Israel
the 2nd time, 1830 organization of the church, 1836 keys given.
- D&C 43:17-18, the
chronology of the Lord’s warning voice
- Lord’s servants to warn the
world, humble themselves.
Prophets, Apostles, 70’s Missionaries
- National disasters, the
judgments of God, compel them to be humble
- The Lord’s own voice
(Doctrine and Covenants
43:17-18.) – The Lord’s warning voice
17 Hearken ye, for,
behold, the great day of the Lord is nigh at hand.
18 For the day cometh that
the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven; the heavens shall shake and the
earth shall tremble, and the trump of God shall sound both long and loud, and shall
say to the sleeping nations: Ye saints arise and live; ye sinners stay and
sleep until I shall call again.
The Lord’s
servants have been sending out warning voices through proclamations, this is
the 1st warning voice. The 2nd
warning voices are wars and rumors of wars.
(Joseph Smith-Matthew:
28-33.) –
28 And they shall hear of
wars, and rumors of wars.
29 Behold I speak for mine
elect's sake; for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom; there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers
places.
30 And again, because
iniquity shall abound, the love of men shall wax cold; but he that shall not be
overcome, the same shall be saved.
31 And again, this Gospel
of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all
nations, and then shall the end come, or the destruction of the wicked;
32 And again shall the
abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled.
33 And immediately after
the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall
not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of
heaven shall be shaken.
Verses 18 through 21 of Joseph
Smith-Matthew seem to be the transitional verses between the events associated
with the destruction of Jerusalem at the time of the ancient apostles and the
second coming of Christ. Verse 21 tells us that prior to the Second Coming
there will again be tribulation upon
At other times people who pride
themselves on their strict observance of the rules and ordinances and
ceremonies of the Church are led astray by false spirits, who exercise an
influence so imitative of that which proceeds from a Divine source that even
these persons, who think they are "the very elect," find it
difficult to discern the essential difference. Satan himself has transformed
himself to be apparently "an angel of light." fn
There will be wars and rumors of
wars. This is not to concern us, for this is exactly what the Savior predicted
would precede his coming. But the end is not yet (see JS-M 1:23-24). We are not
to follow those who try to deceive us when they say Christ is in the desert or
in the secret chambers, for the Second Coming will not be done in secret but
will be made known to all the earth (see JS-M 1:25-26).
As it was with the destruction of the
temple at
Another important sign of the
Savior's second coming is the preaching of the gospel to all the world—then the
end will come, which is the destruction of the wicked (see JS-M 1:30-31).
Sometimes Latter-day Saints seem to feel that we have almost accomplished this
goal. But, upon more careful examination, the nations who have at this date had
missionaries among them represent approximately one-third of the world. There
are some very significant nations that we have yet to reach: China, the Soviet
Union, most of India and Africa, as well as all those smaller countries that
still have not had missionaries in their midst. Truly we must lengthen our
stride and accept with greater enthusiasm the call we received from President
Spencer W. Kimball for every worthy young man to go on a mission as well as
many, many more of our retired couples.
Once again there will be the
abomination of desolation which was predicted by Daniel (see Daniel 9:27;
11:31; 12:11). Will there once again be terrible destruction upon
This is one of the most universally
taught doctrines in all the scriptures, since it is in every standard work of
the Church: the Old and New Testaments, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and
Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. In the generation that these signs are
given, all that Christ has predicted will be fulfilled (see JS-M 1:34). As one
reads the account by Josephus of the terrible destruction of the Jews and
Jerusalem, one begins to gain an appreciation that the Savior was trying to
tell us something about the great tribulation that will once again come upon
the earth, this time prior to his second coming.
This will also be the generation in
which the times of the Gentiles will be fulfilled; that is, their time for
receiving the gospel will be over (JST Luke 21:25, 32). This will not be one
grand event, but will cover a long period of time—apparently the entire
dispensation prior to the Second Coming. Then will come the time for the Jews
to again receive the message of salvation. fn
Following the great tribulations,
which will include the powers of heaven being shaken, there will appear
"the sign of the Son of Man" in heaven. This will cause the tribes of
the earth to mourn, while the righteous will rejoice when they shall see the
Son of Man coming in "the clouds of heaven, with power and great
glory" (JS-M 1:36). One is reminded of the great destruction upon the
American Continent prior to the first coming of Christ, and also that following
this great tribulation came the great joy of seeing Jesus Christ descending
from heaven (see 3 Nephi 8-11). We cannot help but feel that this is simply a
type and a shadow of things to come. Will the sign of his first coming—the new
star, the day and night and day as though it were one day—be the same sign of
his second coming? (see Zechariah 14:6-7).
There are, however, several things
that the righteous must do in order to witness the Second Coming. First, we
must treasure up Christ's words which he has given us so that we will not be
deceived (see JS-M 1:37). Next, we must watch, pray always, and keep the
commandments, so that we may be counted worthy to escape the tribulations that
will come, and also that we will be worthy to stand before Christ when he comes
(see JST Luke 21:37). The Doctrine and Covenants expresses this a little differently,
indicating that we should be looking for the signs of his coming, because he
"that watches not for me shall be cut off" (D&C 45:39, 44). We
must be like the wise virgins who had oil in their lamps; that is, we must take
the Holy Spirit as our guide so we will not be deceived (see Matthew 25:1-13;
D&C 45:57). No wonder we are given so much detail about the signs of the
coming of Christ, so that we will be watching and thus be ready for this great
and dreadful day (great for the righteous and dreadful for the wicked). May we
be as ready as were the former-day Saints, those who escaped the terrible
destruction of
Before that day the remainder of the
elect will be gathered together from "the four winds, from one end of
heaven to the other" (JS-M 1:37). To further illustrate this, the Savior
told the disciples that two would be in the field, one taken and the other
left, and that while two would be grinding at the mill, again one would be
taken and one left (see JS-M 1:44-45). Once again the JST clearly explains what
Jesus meant by this.
Where, Lord, shall they be taken [the
disciples asked Jesus]. And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is
gathered; or, in other words, whithersoever the saints are gathered, thither
will the eagles be gathered together; or, thither will the remainder be
gathered together. This he spake, signifying the gathering of his saints; and
of angels descending and gathering the remainder unto them; the one from the
bed, the other from the grinding, and the other from the field, whithersoever
he listeth. (JST Luke 17:36-38.)
To help the apostles understand the
signs of the times and their relationship to his coming again on the earth,
Jesus gave the parable of the fig tree. When one saw the leaves of the fig
tree, he would know that summer was near. So it will be with the elect who are
watching for Christ's return to earth: they will know that it is near,
"even at the door," by the signs that are given (see JS-M 1:39).
(Monte S.
Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., Joseph Smith Translation: The
Restoration of Plain and Precious Things [Provo: BYU Religious Studies
Center, 1985], 241 - 242.)
The 3rd
Nephi is a type and shadow of what will happen at the 2nd coming.
(Doctrine and Covenants
77:15.) – Revelation 11, 2 witnesses prior to Christ’s coming. Keep attention to the brethren along with a
healthy study of the scriptures.
15 Q. What is to be
understood by the two witnesses, in the eleventh chapter of Revelation?
A. They are two prophets
that are to be raised up to the Jewish nation in the last days, at the time of
the restoration, and to prophesy to the Jews after they are gathered and have
built the city of
(Joseph Smith-Matthew:
37.) – Angels come before the coming of Christ.
Treasure up God’s word and you won’t be deceived. The parable of the fig tree
37
And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man
shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a
trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the
four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The gospel
goes to the entire world by technology and revelation (smaller temples) President Kimball
(Doctrine and Covenants
63:53-54.) – The 10 virgins refers to members of the church. There will be a separation of the wicked and
the righteous
53 These things are the
things that ye must look for; and, speaking after the manner of the Lord, they
are now nigh at hand, and in a time to come, even in the day of the coming of
the Son of Man.
54 And until that hour
there will be foolish virgins among the wise; and at that hour cometh an entire
separation of the righteous and the wicked; and in that day will I send mine
angels to pluck out the wicked and cast them into unquenchable fire.
(2 Nephi 30:10.) – In the
last days there will be a great division among the people and the wicked will
be destroyed
10
For the time speedily cometh that the Lord God shall cause a great division
among the people, and the wicked will he destroy; and he will spare his people,
yea, even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked by fire.
I Testify
|
|
My beloved brethren and
sisters, my heart is full and my feelings tender as we conclude this great
general conference of the Church.
We have been richly blessed
as we have listened to the counsel and testimonies of those who have spoken to
us.
As a special witness of
Jesus Christ, and as His humble servant, it is now my obligation and privilege,
as the Spirit dictates, to bear pure testimony and witness to that which I know
to be true. (See Alma 4:19.) This I will do.
I testify that we are the
spirit offspring of a loving God, our Heavenly Father (see Acts 17:29;
1 Ne.
17:36). He has a great plan of salvation whereby His children might be
perfected as He is and might have a fulness of joy as He enjoys. (See 1 Ne. 10:18;
2 Ne.
2:25; Alma 24:14; Alma 34:9;
3 Ne.
12:48; 3 Ne. 28:10.)
I testify that in our
premortal state our Elder Brother in the spirit, even Jesus Christ, became our
foreordained Savior in the Father’s plan of salvation. (See Mosiah
4:6–7; Alma 34:9.) He is the captain of our salvation and the
only means through whom we can return to our Father in Heaven to gain that
fulness of joy. (See Heb. 2:10; Mosiah
3:17; Alma
38:9.)
I testify that Lucifer was
also in the council of heaven. He sought to destroy the agency of man. He
rebelled. (See Moses 4:3.) There was a war in heaven, and a third of
the hosts were cast to the earth and denied a body. (See Rev. 12:7–9;
D&C
29:36–37.) Lucifer is the enemy of all righteousness and seeks the misery
of all mankind. (See 2 Ne. 2:18, 27; Mosiah
4:14.)
I testify that all those who
come into mortality accepted our Father’s plan. (See Abr. 3:26.)
Having proved faithful in their first estate in heaven, they are now subject to
the test of mortality in this second estate. That test entails doing all things
whatsoever the Lord requires. (See Abr. 3:25.)
Those who prove faithful in this second estate will have glory added upon their
heads forever and ever. (See Abr. 3:26.)
I testify that God reveals
His will to all men through the Light of Christ. (See Moro. 7:16;
D&C 93:2;
John 1:9.)
They receive the additional light of the gift of the Holy Ghost through the
laying on of hands by God’s authorized servants following baptism. (See A of F 1:4;
D&C
20:41.)
I testify that throughout
the ages God has spoken to His children through His prophets. (See Amos 3:7; Hel.
8:13–20.) Only when His children rejected the prophets were the prophets
taken out of their midst, and then tragedy followed. (See 1 Ne.
3:17–18; 1 Ne. 7:14; Hel.
13:24–27.)
I testify that Christ was
born into mortality with Mary as His mother and our Heavenly Father as His
father. (See 1 Ne. 11:18–21; Mosiah 3:8.)
He lived a sinless life, providing us a perfect example. (See D&C 45:4;
3 Ne.
12:48; 3 Ne. 27:27.) He worked out the great Atonement,
which, through His grace, provides for every soul a resurrection and, for the
faithful, the means to become exalted in the celestial kingdom. (See A of F 1:3;
2 Ne.
25:23; Mosiah 4:6–7; Alma
11:41–45; D&C 76:50–70; D&C
132:19.)
I testify that during His
mortal ministry Christ established His church on the earth. (See Matt. 16:18;
Acts 2:47;
3 Ne.
21:22.) He called and ordained men to be Apostles and prophets with
authority so that what they bound on earth would be bound in heaven. (See Matt. 16:19;
John
15:16.) They received revelation, which provided new scripture. (See 2 Pet.
1:20–21; D&C 68:4.)
I testify that a world so
wicked that it killed the Son of God soon began killing the Apostles and prophets
and so plunged itself into a spiritual dark age. (See 2 Thes.
2:2–7.) Scripture ended, apostasy spread, and the church that Christ
established during His earthly ministry ceased to exist. (See 2 Ne.
27:4–5.)
I testify that God the
Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith in the spring of
1820, thus bringing to an end the long night of apostasy (JS—H
1:15–20). To Joseph Smith appeared other beings, including John the Baptist
and Peter, James, and John, who ordained him with authority to act in the name
of God (see JS—H 1:68–72; D&C
27:5–13). The church and
I testify that through the
Book of Mormon God has provided for our day tangible evidence that Jesus is the
Christ and that Joseph Smith is His prophet. (See D&C
20:8–33.) This other testament of Jesus Christ is a scriptural account of
the early inhabitants of
I testify that
I testify that there has
been, and there is now, and there will be legal successors to the Prophet
Joseph Smith who hold the keys of the
I testify that wickedness is
rapidly expanding in every segment of our society. (See D&C
1:14–16; D&C 84:49–53.) It is more highly organized, more
cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret
combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination
that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is
increasing its evil influence and control over
I testify that the church
and
I testify that as the forces
of evil increase under Lucifer’s leadership and as the forces of good increase
under the leadership of Jesus Christ, there will be growing battles between the
two until the final confrontation. As the issues become clearer and more
obvious, all mankind will eventually be required to align themselves either for
the
I testify that it is time
for every man to set in order his own house both temporally and spiritually. It
is time for the unbeliever to learn for himself that this work is true, that
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom which Daniel
prophesied God would set up in the latter days, never to be destroyed, a stone
that would eventually fill the whole earth and stand forever. (See Dan.
2:34–45; D&C 65:2.) It is time for us, as members of the
Church, to walk in all the ways of the Lord, to use our influence to make
popular that which is sound and to make unpopular that which is unsound. We
have the scriptures, the prophets, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now we need
eyes that will see, ears that will hear, and hearts that will hearken to God’s
direction.
I testify that not many
years hence the earth will be cleansed. (See D&C 76:41.)
Jesus the Christ will come again, this time in power and great glory to
vanquish His foes and to rule and reign on the earth. (See D&C
43:26–33.) In due time all men will gain a resurrection and then will face
the Master in a final judgment. (See 2 Ne.
9:15, 41.) God will give rewards to each according to the deeds done in the
flesh. (See Alma 5:15.)
I testify to you that a
fulness of joy can only come through the atonement of Jesus Christ and by
obedience to all of the laws and ordinances of the gospel, which are found only
in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (See A of F 1:3.)
To all these things I humbly
testify and bear my solemn witness that they are true, and I do so in the name
of Him who is the head of this church, even Jesus Christ, amen.
All mankind
will need to align themselves either with God or Satan, there will be no
neutrality. The righteous will be tested
but God will provide strength.
2 Issues will be
forefront in the last days:
- Divinity of Jesus Christ
- Family issues, Stability of the
family
2
Proclamations from President Hinckley and the Apostles
The Living
Christ and the Proclamation on the Family
John 1-4
April 4, 2007
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
Listed below are four themes
that are threaded throughout the Gospel of John. These themes are intertwined
and support one another. To grasp the message of John' writing, one must search
out and follow these four themes through the whole of the Gospel.
THEME ONE The Light vs.
Darkness Theme
The dual between light
(Christ and his ways) and darkness (Satan and the ways of the world) is
one of the more obvious themes in the Gospel of John. Examples of this are
found in almost every chapter and every page of the Gospel of John.
THEME TWO The Water/Life
Theme
Water is one of the most
significant elements in sustaining life. In the Gospel of John, Christ is shown
as having power of water and thus has the power to give living water. Note the
following examples:
(1) Christ turns water to
wine (John 2)
(2) Christ's discourse on Living Waters at Jacob's well (John 4)
(3) Christ heals the invalid man at the Pools of Bethesda (John 5)
(4) Christ walks on water (John 6)
(5) Christ offers living water during Feast of Tabernacles (John 7)
(6) Christ heals the man born blind at the Pool of Siloam (John 9)
(7) Christ washes the feet of the twelve (John 13)
THEME THREE The Seven
Signs and the Seven Discourses
The first half of the Gospel of John is built around seven signs (miracles) and
seven discourses. The signs and the discourses seem to be related to each
other; the discourses speak of various powers the Savior has that are necessary
in helping each child of our Heavenly Father to gain eternal life and the signs
or miracles confirms that the Savior has those powers. The seven signs and
seven discourses are as follows:
1st SIGN: Water converted to
wine (John 2:1-11)
1st DISCOURSE: The natural man converted to the spiritual man (John 3:1-21)
2nd SIGN:
Bringing life to the nobleman's son (John 4:46-54)
2nd DISCOURSE: The living waters that bring everlasting life (John
4:1-42)
3rd SIGN: The
healing of the invalid on the Sabbath (John 5:1-18)
3rd DISCOURSE: The Divine Son, the Lord of the Sabbath (John
5:19-47)
4th Sign: Miracle
feeding of the multitude with bread (John 6:1-15)
4th DISCOURSE: Christ is the bread of life (John 6:22-66)
5th SIGN: Jesus
walks on water (John 6:12-21)
5th DISCOURSE: Christ, who will walk into the presence of the Father,
offers living water to all (John 7:14-39)
6th SIGN: Healing
of the man born blind (John 9)
6th DISCOURSE: Christ is the Light of the World (John 8:12-59)
7th SIGN: The
raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11)
7th DISCOURSE: Christ, the Good Shepherd, will lay down His life for
his sheep that he might bring about the resurrection (John 10:1-18)
THEME FOUR The
Replacement/Transcendent/Fulfillment Theme
For John, the coming of
Christ brought about a replacement, transcendence, and fulfillment of events
and places which were held sacred among the Jews. In other words, Christ is the
ultimate fulfillment of the sacred events and places of the Old Testament. The
following are examples of this theme.
(1) The replacement of the
Temple with the body of Christ (either resurrection or body of the Church)
(John 2:13-22)
(2) The replacement of the worship in the sacred mountains of Gerizim and Ebal
with the worship of Christ (John 4)
(3) The replacement of the Sabbath worship of the Pharisees with the proper worship
of the Sabbath taught by Christ (John 5)
(4) The replacement and fulfillment of the Feast of the Passover with Christ,
the Bread of life (John 6)
(5) The replacement and fulfillment of the Feast of the Tabernacles with
Christ, the light and life of the world (John 7-9)
John 1 –
Word of Christ = Christ. “I am” =
Christ, John writes very differently then the other apostles, he has themes and
images written as stories, signs, and discourses. Change is a key part of John’s writings, like
Elder Bednar’s parable of the pickle, CR April 2007.
Theme –
Water = Gift of the Holy Ghost
Truth = Life versus Death
THE PROLOGUE OF JOHN (John 1:1-18)
J. PHILIP SCHAELLING
The Prologue of John (John 1:1-18)
has long been favored as a jewel in the crown of biblical scholarship. One
author has written: "If John has been described as the pearl of great
price among the NT writings, then one may say that the Prologue is the pearl
within this Gospel. In her comparison of Augustine's and Chrysostom's exegesis
of the prologue, M. A. Aucoin points out that both held that it is beyond the
power of man to speak as John does in the Prologue. . . . All these
attestations of sublimity, however, do not remove the fact that the eighteen
verses of the Prologue contain for the exegete a number of bewildering textual,
critical, and interpretative problems." fn
Modern revelation can help us with
some of these problems, but the Prologue of John is still one of the most
intriguing, exciting, challenging, and absolutely transcendent passages ever
written. Let no one feel that these eighteen verses carry no depth. They not
only have depth—they transcend both time and space to reveal to us the purpose
of Christ's ministry. These verses crystallize, in the testimony of one who knew,
not only our heritage but also our eternal destiny as children of the living
God.
John is a witness. His stress is on
those things he had seen and experienced himself: "That which was from the
beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have
looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of
life." (1 John 1:1, NIV.) The first eighteen verses of his Gospel serve as
a prologue. Before John started his actual story, he wanted to give a preview
to define the parameters of his account. His purpose was not to catalog all of
the deeds and works of the Savior during His mortal life: "If they should
be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain
the books that should be written." (John 21:25.) The Gospel of John is not
a hodgepodge of randomly remembered recollections, but a carefully constructed
historical account with design and purpose. "That which we have seen and
heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly
our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John
1:3.) A fundamental purpose of John's Gospel is to show us how we can have
fellowship with the Father and the Son. The purposes of the Prologue are to
summarize that process of achieving fellowship so that we will not miss it as
we proceed through the account of the Savior's ministry, and to set the stage
for this story of eternal sweep by introducing us to the Savior in his eternal
context.
Setting the Stage
"In the beginning" (1:1).
This phrase is identical in the Greek of the Gospel of John with the beginning
of the book of Genesis in the Septuagint. There are many "beginnings"
in our span of forever. Though we have always existed, there was a "beginning"
when we became children of our Heavenly Father; there was a
"beginning" when the great premortal council was held and plans for
this earth were laid; there was a "beginning" as the creation of this
earth was initiated.
"Was the Word" (1:1). The
word was does not do justice to the Greek verb tense. In Greek, the
author could have chosen from either the aorist or the imperfect
verb tense. While the aorist refers to a single, completed occurrence, the
imperfect defines an ongoing, continuous state. The use of the imperfect tense
here defines that which lies beyond time. "In the beginning, place it
where you may, the Word already existed. In other words, the Logos is before
time, eternal." fn John is telling us that when time began, the Word not
only already existed, but the Word already existed in a timeless state, and
existed as the "Word."
Next we must deal with
"Word." In verse 14, the "Word" is identified as the
Savior. Would it not have been easier to have said, "In the beginning was
Jesus Christ"? Why use the personification? What was John trying to tell
us by identifying the Savior as the "Word"? In the English
translation, "Word" is probably the best translation of logos,
but it is also a very limited translation. Logos is a word replete with
nuances and great depth. It can refer to a single word, a phrase, a discussion,
or even a whole book. Hugh Nibley uses it in this broad sense when he
translates John 1:1 as, "In the beginning was the Logos [counsel,
discussion], and the Logos was in the presence of God, and all things
were done according to it." fn Many useful articles and books are
available that discuss logos. For our purposes, and for the sake of
brevity, let us simply note a few aspects of this intriguing word.
1. Logos "is never the
mere word as an assemblage of sounds, but the word as determined by a meaning
and conveying a meaning." fn In other words, it is the outward form that
expresses the inner thought.
2. While logos does not
represent the mere "assemblage of sounds," neither does it represent
the thought itself. Logos is tangible, whether it represents "a
phrase or sentence, or a prolonged discourse, or even a book." fn
3. Logos from God is always
dynamic. It does not just exist as a static lump. "The Word is seen to be
a heavenly force which creatively accomplishes its work on earth." fn
Isaiah referred to the word of God in this same way when he said: "For as
the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but
watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to
the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goeth forth out of
my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which
I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isa. 55:10-11.)
Logos from God always has purpose and always has power.
"In the beginning, the logos
already existed." The reason for the personification is to help us
understand that Christ was to be the outward expression of the Father's inner
nature, having the same purpose and the same power. This principle helps us
to better comprehend the Savior's statement to Philip, "He that hath seen
me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9) and gives new depth to the following
passage: "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in
me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that
dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me." (John 14:10-11.)
John's introduction helps us
understand that Jesus, in fulfilling his destiny in the eternal plan of
salvation, was the dynamic expression of the Father's inner being. He
was and is, since before the beginning, the actor and doer of the Father's
will, filled with his purpose and power. While on earth, he was the visible
expression of his Father's inner nature. If we wish to learn more about the
Father, we merely need to learn more about his Son. Through Joseph Smith much
of this concept was revealed in modern times: "He was the Word, even the
messenger of salvation." (D&C 93:8.) The Plan of Salvation is eternal,
and for us, the embodiment of that plan is Jesus Christ.
"And the Word was with God"
(1:1). "The word with (in the Greek), while emphasizing the
communion of the Logos with God, yet safeguards the idea of his individual
personality: it expresses nearness combined with the sense of movement
towards God, and so indicates an active relationship. The Logos and God do
not simply exist side by side, but are on terms of living intercourse, and such
fellowship implies separate personality." fn
"And the Word was God"
(1:1). In the Greek, the word God comes first in this phrase, which
gives it special emphasis. Though it comes first, it is predicative and without
an article. This means that John wanted us to know that in the beginning, the logos
had already achieved Godhood: He had developed within himself the divine
nature. By this we do not merely mean that he developed a divine nature.
The absence of the article implies that he has acquired the very same
character and divine attributes as The God with whom he associated in
the previous phrase. The emphatic arrangement of this word gives special
stature to the logos. Not only was Jesus to be the one who would
actively implement the plan of our Father, not only did he have a close and
personal fellowship with the Father, but "in the beginning" the
Savior had already developed the very same attributes and character of the
Father, thus attaining Godhood.
"The same was in the beginning
with [the] God" (1:2). I have placed a bracketed the here simply to
mirror John's emphasis; the word the exists in the Greek text. John has
wanted to communicate clearly that while the logos has developed the
qualities of the Father, he is also a distinct and separate individual. The
repetition and structure of this phrase is so emphatic that it may imply an
attempt by John to address any misunderstanding or confusion on the doctrine of
the trinity within the early church. This is a very difficult thing to
translate because the absence or presence of articles (that is, the) in
English does not communicate the same thing as it does in Greek.
Thus we can see that there are three
things that John wanted to establish in these first two verses:
1. Jesus Christ was to be the outward
and dynamic expression of both his Father's essence and his Father's will.
2. Jesus was eminently suited to this
task, for he had developed the very same character and attributes as His
Father.
3. We should not confuse the issue
and think that they are the same individual. They are clearly separate.
Achieving Fellowship
After John established the majesty of
the logos in its premortal eternal state, he gave us a brief outline of
how the logos fits into the plan of salvation. This is divided into three
stages:
1. John 1:3-9: The existence of light
as a fundamental part of the logos, which he shares freely with all who
come into the world.
2. John 1:10-13: Our free agency to
accept him or reject him, and the right and power given to those who accept him
to become children of God.
3. John 1:14-17: The actual
achievement of that relationship, together with an emphasis on the Savior as
role model and the very embodiment of those principles which develop our
capacity to be sons and daughters.
The Light
"And the light shineth in
darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not" (1:5). As soon as John
identified light with logos, he informed us that a great rivalry
exists in the universe between the logos and "the Prince of
Darkness." Light and darkness are active elements and are
personified, as was logos. John did this to help us identify certain
basic principles that pertain to the individuals thus personified. In this very
powerful verse, he encapsulated one of the fundamental dramas of his entire
narrative, the struggle that inherently exists between good and evil.
In King James's time, the word comprehend
could mean either "to seize, grasp, lay hold of, catch," or "to
grasp, take in, or apprehend with the senses." fn The Greek word from
which it is translated has the basic meaning of seizing with hostile intent, or
overtaking. In one verb voice, not used here, it can also be used to express an
ability to understand or perceive. Certainly it is imperative that we develop
the capacity to perceive the light. But in the only other place where John used
this word, it was again in relationship to darkness, and assumes the active
role of "to seize with hostile intent, to overtake": "Walk while
ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you." (John 12:35.) "In these
cases the sense cannot be doubtful. The darkness comes down upon, enwraps men.
As applied to light, this sense includes the further notion of overwhelming,
eclipsing. The relation of darkness to light is one of essential
antagonism." fn Another interesting contrast is offered in this verse. The
verb shineth is given in the timeless present tense, while the verb comprehended
is in a tense that is used for a given point in time. The effect of this
contrast is to say that this dispelling of darkness is an inherent and enduring
quality of light and of the One who is personified as light. On the other hand,
there was a time when the darkness, or the one of whom it is a personification,
attempted to seize and overcome the light. It refers to a specific attempt, a
single occurrence, not an ongoing, timeless quality. John was foreshadowing
a main theme of his Gospel: a record of the specific time when, as the light
shone in the darkness that had come upon this world, the Prince of Darkness
attempted and failed to overcome and extinguish that light. A major effort
of his Gospel is to mirror and witness the dynamic conflict between light and
dark which was to culminate in the Savior's dynamic victory.
"That was the true Light, which
lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (1:9). It is as though we
are all in a huge arena, in total darkness, searching for a way out. Some
panic, some give up, many search aimlessly, all are lost. Suddenly someone
opens a door and the light shines in. He is the light that shines in the
darkness! Now we can find our way out! Now we can go back home! He shows us the
way and helps us be sensitive to the light. He also places within each of us
our own little light, so that we can always see in the darkness. But it works
only if we follow that light: "And he that repents not, from him shall be
taken even the light which he has received." (D&C 1:33.) The
possession of light gives us the ability to see our way out of the darkness of
this world and find our way back to our Father in heaven. This
understanding of light harbors intriguing implications in the definition of intelligence
as found in D&C 93:36-39.
Becoming Children of God
"And the world knew him
not" (1:10). The word translated knew can mean either perceive,
realize or acknowledge, recognize. fn
"And his own received him
not" (1:11). The word translated received, in this context, means to
accept. fn
"To them gave he power"
(1:12). The word translated power "does not describe mere ability,
but legitimate, rightful authority, derived from a competent source which
includes the idea of power." fn
"To become the sons of God, even
to them that believe" (1:12). The word tekna, here translated as sons,
is a neuter form and simply means children, without reference to gender.
fn A contrast is here drawn between the first phrase and the last by the use of
different verb tenses. The phrase "to become" is in the aorist tense,
meaning that it is a specific event. The phrase "to them that
believe" is in the present tense, implying an ongoing condition. The
thrust of the passage is that becoming a child of God occurs only to those for
whom belief has become an ongoing part of their very nature.
A word or two about the word believe
is also appropriate. In the New Testament, the words belief and faith
are used as translations for a single Greek word, pistis. Pistis in this
sense is a "faith in the Divinity that lays special emphasis on trust in
his power and his nearness to help, in addition to being convinced that he
exists and that his revelations or disclosures are true." fn This
describes what happens when we trust him to such an extent that we simply do
whatever he tells us and refuse to do that which he tells us not to do. It is
to such people that he gives both the right and the power to become
"children of God."
"Which were born . . . of
God" (1:13). Verse 13 amplifies the principle of belief or faith and
causes the term to apply only to those who so thoroughly reconstruct their
lives that they are no longer children of this world, but children of God.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie described it as follows: "Those who are sons of
God (meaning the Father) are persons who, first, receive the gospel, join the
true Church, obtain the priesthood, marry for eternity, and walk in obedience
to the whole gospel law. They are then adopted into the family of Jesus Christ,
become joint-heirs with him, and consequently receive, inherit, and possess
equally with him in glorious exaltation in the kingdom of his Father." fn
"And the Word was made
flesh" (1:14). As a mortal man, the Lord Jesus was subject to all of the
trials, tribulations, temptations, and vicissitudes of mortality. fn
"And we beheld his glory"
(1:14). The word translated beheld means more than merely to see. It
means that one has carefully observed. For this reason, one translator,
attempting to bring out the full meaning, has rendered it: "And we gazed
with attentive and careful regard and spiritual perception." fn
"The glory as of the only
begotten of the Father" (1:14). Glory is being used here to
describe the relationship that John had observed to exist between the Father
and the Son. The Greek word used here, doxa, has as one of its base
meanings opinion. When applied to another, it means "the opinion
which others have of one, estimation, repute." fn In the New Testament it
is also used to represent radiance or splendor, but its use here refers to the
esteem that the Father holds for His Son. John wrote that during the mortal
life of Christ, he (John), along with others, was able to observe the special
relationship that existed between the Father and the Son, along with the esteem
and honor given to Jesus by the Father. This is reinforced often in his
account: "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment
unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the
Father" (5:22-23). "As the Father hath life in himself; so hath he
given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to
execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man" (5:26-27). "The
Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please
him" (8:29). "I and my Father are one" (10:30). "Father, I
will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they
may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the
foundation of the world" (17:24).
In the first verse of his Gospel,
John tells us about the strong and special relationship between the Father and
the Son. In this phrase he desires us to know that he personally witnessed this
special relationship.
"Full of grace and truth"
(1:14). When John observed that the Savior is full of grace and truth,
it of course means that nothing exists in him that is not composed of these
elements. There is no untruth in him, and there is nothing that does not
partake of grace. The Greek word translated as grace is a challenging
word to grasp, with many meanings and nuances. In the secular usage of this
period, this word charis was employed as "a fixed term for
demonstrations of a ruler's favour." fn In earlier antiquity it
represented "the 'favour' of the gods." fn Some help in understanding
this verse is given in verse 17 as John contrasted the law of Moses with the
grace and truth that comes by Jesus Christ. The law of Moses was strict
justice. Through Christ we receive the benefit of his love for us as a free
gift. Though we must qualify for that gift, we in no way earn it; this gift is
so glorious that it is far beyond our capacity to earn. In describing the
Savior as being "full of grace," John wanted us to know that there
exists in him nothing but pure, selfless love for us, which he gives freely and
with joy whenever he can. Being "in His grace" also implies that we
have special access to him and that he is readily available to listen to our
needs.
"And of his fulness have all we
received, and grace for grace" (1:16). This phrase described the process
by which we acquire the same qualities and character as the Savior. It can be
translated to mean that we can receive either "grace upon grace" or
"grace in exchange for grace." In the Doctrine and Covenants we find
this same phrase applied to Jesus and including both meanings. "And I,
John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace
for grace; And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace
to grace, until he received a fulness." (D&C 93:12-13, emphasis
added.)
In the phrase "grace for
grace," we understand that as we reach out with love and joy to bless
freely those around us, we are blessed freely and with joy from above. As we
give grace, we receive grace.
In addition, we move from
"grace to grace." The Lord does not wait until we have developed the
quality of grace fully before bestowing blessings upon us, but lets us move
from level to level. We are always in his favor, but as we develop we are
blessed accordingly. When no feeling exists within us except the desire to
bless and bring joy, then he can reach out and bestow upon us that fellowship
which brings a fullness of joy. "Neither pray I for these alone, but for
them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be
one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in
us." (John 17:20-21.)
As we have seen, verses 3 to 17 of
chapter 1 take us through our eternal development in three stages:
1. Our relationship with the Light,
2. The rebirth and our use of agency,
and
3. The process of "grace for
grace" as we partake of his fullness.
The same sequence is mirrored in the
actual record of John's Gospel. It begins with the witness to the Light (John
the Baptist) that is so strongly stressed in verses 6 to 9 of the Prologue,
then continues with the great rebirth discourse given to Nicodemus. John
expands this with illustrations of how some reject the light and others accept
it with faith. This section makes up a large portion of his record and includes
stories of great faith as well as some of the great discourses and discussions
with the Pharisees and Sadducees. John vividly portrays the love and compassion
of the Savior and his greatness as a teacher, as he records the Savior's
discourses on the choices that exist for all of us in this world. This section
is followed by the only detailed account of the proceedings of the Last Supper,
in which the Savior revealed to his disciples the great law of love: the
foundation of grace. The structural organization of the Prologue mirrors the
structural organization of John's Gospel.
Knowing the Father Through Christ
"No man hath seen God at any time"
(1:18). Joseph Smith added, "except he hath borne record of the Son"
(JST, 1:19). President Spencer W. Kimball noted: "It is noteworthy that
the Father, God, Elohim came to the earth upon each necessary occasion to
introduce the Son to a new dispensation, to a new people; then Jesus Christ,
the Son, carried forward his work. This has happened again in our own
dispensation when both separate beings, the Father and the Son, came again to
the earth in person and appeared unto man. This holy occurrence was described
by the devout and prepared young man who was the principal recipient of the
vision." fn This highlights the point brought out in verse 1, that we are
to learn of the Father through the Son.
"The only begotten Son"
(1:18). The oldest and best ancient manuscript read, "the only begotten
God." fn
"Which is in the bosom of the
Father" (1:18). "The image is used of the closest and tenderest of
human relationships, of mother and child (Num. xi. 12), and of husband and wife
(Deut. xiii. 6), and also of friends reclining side by side at a feast (comp.
xiii. 23), and so describes the ultimate fellowship of love. The exact form of
the words is remarkable. The phrase is not strictly 'in the bosom,' but 'into
the bosom.' Thus there is the combination (as it were) of rest and motion, of a
continuous relation, with a realization of it." fn
"He hath declared him"
(1:18). The Greek word translated declared means to "explain,
interpret, tell, report, describe." fn John completed the Prologue with a
restatement of the thought with which he began it. The purpose of Christ's
ministry was to reveal to us the essential character of the Father and to
dynamically bring about his plan. Through Jesus, we can learn about the
Father's plan, discover his design for our personal destiny, see his power, and
feel his love for us. Jesus is the visible personification of the Father. Jesus
is the Word. fn
NOTES
J. Philip Schaelling is an instructor
at the LDS Institute of Religion in
Footnotes
1. Raymond E. Brown, The Gospel
According to John, I-XII, Anchor Bible 29 (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday
& Co., 1966), p. 18.
2. M. Dods, "The Gospel of
3. Hugh Nibley, Nibley on the
Timely and the Timeless (Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham
Young University, 1978), p. 282.
4. C. H. Dodd, The Interpretation
of the Fourth Gospel (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965), p. 263.
5. Ibid.
6. O. Procksch, "Lego," in Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament, G. Kittel, ed., 10 vols. (Grand Rapids,
Mich.: Eerdmans, 1967), 4:98.
7. G. H. C. Macgregor, "The
Gospel of John" in The Moffatt New Testament Commentary, James
Moffatt, ed. (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1949), 4:4.
8. The
9. Brooke Foss Westcott, The
Gospel According to
10. Walter Bauer, A Greek-English
Lexicon of the New Testament, trans. W. F. Arndt and F. W. Gingrich, 2nd
ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979), p. 161.
11. Ibid., p. 619.
12. Westcott, p. 16.
13. Bauer, p. 808.
14. Ibid., p. 665.
15. Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-73),
1:74.
16. Ibid., p. 75.
17. Kenneth S. Wuest, The New
Testament: An Expanded Translation (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1961),
p. 209.
18. Henry George Liddell and Robert
Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1925), p. 444.
19. Gerhard Friedrich,
"Charis," Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand
Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1974), 9:375.
20. Ibid., 9:374.
21. Spencer W. Kimball, Conference
Report, October 1977, p. 112.
22. Dods, p. 691.
23. Westcott, p. 28.
24. Bauer, p. 275.
25. For a discussion of the mission
of John the Baptist, see Robert J. Matthews, "A Voice in the Wilderness:
An Interview with John the Baptist," chapter 9 in this volume.
(Kent P.
Jackson and Robert L. Millet, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 5: The
Gospels [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1986], 127.)
John 2 –
Change is one of the themes of the chapter
1-11 –
Change water to wine
12 – Change
where He lives
13-17 –
Change what happens in the temple, cleanses the temple
18 – Change
the temple in 3 days (His body) – Also it is necessary for us to make this
change in ourselves.
(John 2:1-11.) – Water to
wine. Christ and the disciples are
invited to a 7 day marriage feast. His
mother Mary is involved, they have no more wine, Mary has total faith in her
son, and he fulfills her request willingly.
His focus is not yet on building up the kingdom or his earthly mission,
this comes later on. The governor talks
to the Bridegroom who is not Jesus. He
manifests His glory and the disciples believe in Him.
1 And the third day there
was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2 And both Jesus was
called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
3 And when they wanted
wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4 Jesus saith unto her,
Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5 His mother saith unto
the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
6 And there were set there
six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews,
containing two or three firkins apiece.
7 Jesus saith unto them,
Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And he saith unto them,
Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9 When the ruler of the
feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but
the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the
bridegroom,
10 And saith unto him,
Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well
drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until
now.
11 This beginning of
miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his
disciples believed on him.
Concrete principles
– Glory = God’s power – intelligence – light – truth – life – law
D&C
88:6, 8 93:36 = Intelligence = light and truth = light of Christ, Power
>>> Life >>> Law
(Moses 1:2.) – Because the
glory of God was there, Moses could endure God’s presence
2
And he saw God face to face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was
upon Moses; therefore Moses could endure his presence.
(Moses 1:11.) – The glory
of God transfigured Moses so he could behold God.
11
But now mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual
eyes, for my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should have withered and
died in his presence; but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face, for I
was transfigured before him.
(Moses 1:39.) – His work
and power is for our benefit, total unselfishness on His part
39
For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and
eternal life of man.
The three
kingdoms of glory = capacity to do, they are levels of capacity. In John Christ is showing forth His power and
capacity.
(Doctrine and Covenants
93:18-19.) – How to worship and What to worship. The unity of the Father and the Son is much
greater then we think, it is more then unity of just purpose, it is unity in purpose
and power.
18 And it shall come to
pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of
John.
19 I give unto you these
sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you
worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive
of his fulness.
On the
cross the oneness was gone because God left Christ alone, so through His
extreme suffering He overcame His natural man body alone. He shows us the way, since we also need to
overcome our natural man tendencies.
Since we have a relationship with
Elohim as the father of our spirits and with Christ as the father of our
spiritual birth, we may wonder how those two relationships differ from one
another. For one thing, Christ is our advocate with the Father, suggesting that
when the Father is our judge, Christ pleads our case before him. fn In
addition, in modern revelation the Lord has suggested that our relationship
with Christ may somehow parallel his relationship with the Father. He teaches
us that we "may understand and know how to worship, and know what you
worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive
of his fulness. For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his
fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father." (D&C
93:19-20.) Clearly, as we come to
Christ, he helps us come to the Father.
As we come to the Savior in this
spirit, we are initially forgiven of our sins, with the Atonement satisfying
the law of justice. fn Then we receive the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost,
which cleanses us from the effects of our sins. Since no unclean thing may
dwell in God's presence, this cleansing is essential to our regaining his
presence, both now and eternally. Still largely through the medium of the Holy
Ghost, our covenant-based and Atonement-based relationship with Christ goes on
to bless us with the affirmative endowments of hope fn and charity, fn gifts
that are extended and bestowed as Christ, the father of our reborn spirits,
guides and nourishes each of us toward a Christlike nature. In addition, the
same power that compensates for and heals us from the effects of our conscious
sins also compensates for and heals us from the same kinds of effects—the pain,
the bitterness, the sorrow—caused by our unintentional mistakes and the natural
adversities we suffer. fn
(Bruce C.
Hafen and Marie K. Hafen, The Belonging: The Atonement and Relationships
with God and Family Heart [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994], 152.)
The Savior's personal experience is
clarified by the witness of John, as contained in modern revelation. Note the
role of the Father's grace in his development, which he in turn extends
to his followers: "And I, John, saw that [Christ] received not of the
fulness at the first, but received grace for grace . . . until he received a
fulness." (D&C 93:12-13.) Now Christ himself speaks to us: "I
give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship,
and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in
due time receive of his fulness. For if you keep my commandments you shall
receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father;
therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace."
(D&C 93:19D&C 93:19-20; emphasis added.)
When the laws of justice and mercy
are satisfied by the Atonement and by our repentance, we are, in effect, free
from sin. But just as the sinless Christ was "made perfect" through
interaction with his Father's grace, so we must then move beyond the remission
of sins to the perfection of a divine nature by a process involving grace.
Not long before he passed away, Elder Bruce R. McConkie visited
He said that is what the scriptures teach. Turning to the Doctrine and
Covenants, he read aloud from Joseph Smith's description of those in the
celestial kingdom: "These are they who are just men made perfect
through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect
atonement through the shedding of his own blood." (D&C 76:69; emphasis
added.) In the same section we read this echo of the ninety-third section:
"They are they . . . who have received of [the Father's] fulness."
(D&C 76:56; emphasis added.) I thought about these ideas when Elder
McConkie told the Ricks students later that day that the Atonement compensates
for all the effects of the Fall and makes possible our inheritance of
God's quality of life—eternal life.
At the very end of the Book of
Mormon, Moroni describes this perfecting grace in a final, stirring invitation
to his readers: "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny
yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all
ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his
grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ . . .
And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his
power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the
shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father."
(
(Bruce C.
Hafen, The Broken Heart: Applying the Atonement to Life's Experiences
[Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 16.)
D&C
93:1-39 – Doctrinal base (Behind the reproof He is about to give)
D&C
93:40 – Reproof – Not teaching the family (children) correct doctrine as your 1st
priority
(
37 Counsel with the Lord
in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down
at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and
when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and
if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
38 And now, my son, I have
somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or
director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a
compass; and the Lord prepared it.
I Samuel 11,
Isaiah 21:11, 59:10, Ephesians 6.
Purpose of a curfew
(John 3:1-5.) – A visit at
night, the truth of verse 3 that the world cannot understand. Ordinances are needed (1. Baptism 2. Gift of the Holy Ghost) the spiritual rebirth
process takes time to finalize. If
someone wants to change, the power is
within the water (Baptism) and the light (Gift of the Holy Ghost).
1 There was a man of the
Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus
by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from
God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said
unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the
4 Nicodemus saith unto
him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into
his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the
Spirit, he cannot enter into the
From scriptures and prayers we get
access to the living water of the Holy Ghost.
We need to have the Holy Ghost, but we also need to be clean to receive
the gift.
Ye Must Be Born Again
Elder David A. Bednar
Of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Through faith in Christ,
we can be spiritually prepared and cleansed from sin, immersed in and saturated
with His gospel, and purified and sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise.
My boyhood home in
As a boy I always looked
forward to canning season. I did not like scrubbing the canning jars or working
in our hot kitchen. But I did like working with my mom and dad. And I loved
eating my work! I am sure I ate more fruit than ever made it into any of our
canning jars.
My memories of time spent in
the kitchen with Mom and Dad are stirred every time I see a bottle of
home-canned cherries or peaches. The basic lessons I learned about temporal
self-reliance and provident living while picking and canning produce have
blessed me throughout my life. Interestingly, simple and ordinary experiences
often provide the most important learning opportunities we ever have.
As an adult I have reflected
upon the things I observed in our kitchen during canning season. This morning I
want to discuss some of the spiritual lessons we can learn from the process by
which a cucumber becomes a pickle. I invite the Holy Ghost to be with us as we
consider the significance of those lessons for me and for you as we come unto
Christ and are spiritually reborn.
Cucumbers and Pickles
A pickle is a cucumber that
has been transformed according to a specific recipe and series of steps. The
first steps in the process of changing a cucumber into a pickle are preparing
and cleaning. I remember many hours spent on the back porch of my home
removing stems from and scrubbing dirt off of the cucumbers we had picked. My
mom was very particular about the preparing and cleaning of the cucumbers. She
had high standards of cleanliness and always inspected my work to make sure
this important task was properly completed.
The next steps in this
process of change are immersing and saturating the cucumbers in
salt brine for an extended period of time. To prepare the brine, my mom always
used a recipe she learned from her mother—a recipe with special ingredients and
precise procedures. Cucumbers can only become pickles if they are totally and
completely immersed in the brine for the prescribed time period. The curing
process gradually alters the composition of the cucumber and produces the
transparent appearance and distinctive taste of a pickle. An occasional
sprinkle of or dip in the brine cannot produce the necessary transformation.
Rather, steady, sustained, and complete immersion is required for the desired
change to occur.
The final step in the
process requires the sealing of the cured pickles in jars that have been
sterilized and purified. The pickles are packed in canning jars, covered with
boiling hot brine, and processed in a boiling-water-bath canner. All impurities
must be removed from both the pickles and the bottles so the finished product
can be protected and preserved. As this procedure is properly followed, the
pickles can be stored and enjoyed for a long period of time.
To summarize, a cucumber
becomes a pickle as it is prepared and cleaned, immersed in and saturated with
salt brine, and sealed in a sterilized container. This procedure requires time
and cannot be hurried, and none of the essential steps can be ignored or
avoided.
A Mighty Change
The Lord's authorized
servants repeatedly teach that one of the principal purposes of our mortal
existence is to be spiritually changed and transformed through the Atonement of
Jesus Christ.
"Marvel not that all
mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be
born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a
state ofrighteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;
"And thus they become
new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the
We are instructed to
"come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny [ourselves] of all
ungodliness" (Moroni 10:32), to become
"new creature[s]" in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17), to put off "the
natural man" (Mosiah 3:19), and to
experience "a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more
disposition to do evil, but to do good continually" (Mosiah 5:2). Please note that the conversion
described in these verses is mighty, not minor—a spiritual rebirth and
fundamental change of what we feel and desire, what we think and do, and what
we are. Indeed, the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental
and permanent change in our very nature made possible through our reliance upon
"the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah" (2 Nephi 2:8). As we choose to follow the
Master, we choose to be changed—to be spiritually reborn.
Preparing and Cleaning
Just as a cucumber must be
prepared and cleaned before it can be changed into a pickle, so you and I can
be prepared with "the words of faith and of good doctrine" (1 Timothy 4:6) and initially cleansed through
the ordinances and covenants administered by the authority of the Aaronic
Priesthood.
"And the lesser
priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of
angels and the preparatory gospel;
"Which gospel is the
gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins" (D&C 84:26–27).
And the Lord has established
a high standard of cleanliness.
"Wherefore teach it
unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in
nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or
dwell in his presence" (Moses 6:57).
Proper preparing and
cleaning are the first basic steps in the process of being born again.
Immersing and Saturating
Just as a cucumber is
transformed into a pickle as it is immersed in and saturated with salt brine,
so you and I are born again as we are absorbed by and in the gospel of Jesus
Christ. As we honor and "observe the covenants" (D&C 42:13) into which we have entered, as
we "feast upon the words of Christ" (2 Nephi 32:3), as we "pray unto the
Father with all the energy of heart" (Moroni 7:48), and as we "serve [God] with
all [of our] heart, might, mind and strength" (D&C 4:2), then:
"Because of the
covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his
sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you;
for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore,
ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters" (Mosiah 5:7).
The spiritual rebirth
described in this verse typically does not occur quickly or all at once; it is
an ongoing process—not a single event. Line upon line and precept upon precept,
gradually and almost imperceptibly, our motives, our thoughts, our words, and
our deeds become aligned with the will of God. This phase of the transformation
process requires time, persistence, and patience.
A cucumber only becomes a
pickle through steady, sustained, and complete immersion in salt brine.
Significantly, salt is the key ingredient in the recipe. Salt frequently is
used in the scriptures as a symbol both of a covenant and of a covenant people.
And just as salt is essential in transforming a cucumber into a pickle, so
covenants are central to our spiritual rebirth.
We begin the process of
being born again through exercising faith in Christ, repenting of our sins, and
being baptized by immersion for the remission of sins by one having priesthood
authority.
"Therefore we are
buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from
the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of
life" (Romans 6:4).
And after we come out of the
waters of baptism, our souls need to be continuously immersed in and saturated
with the truth and the light of the Savior's gospel. Sporadic and shallow
dipping in the doctrine of Christ and partial participation in His restored
Church cannot produce the spiritual transformation that enables us to walk in a
newness of life. Rather, fidelity to covenants, constancy of commitment, and
offering our whole soul unto God are required if we are to receive the
blessings of eternity.
"I would that ye should
come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation,
and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls
as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the
end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved" (Omni 1:26).
Total immersion in and
saturation with the Savior's gospel are essential steps in the process of being
born again.
Purifying and Sealing
Cured cucumbers are packed
into sterilized jars and heat processed in order to remove impurities and to
seal the containers from external contaminants. The boiling-water-bath
procedure enables the pickles to be both protected and preserved over a long
period of time. In a similar way, we progressively become purified and
sanctified as you and I are washed in the blood of the Lamb, are born again,
and receive the ordinances and honor the covenants that are administered by the
authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood.
"Nevertheless they did
fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and
firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy
and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their
hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto
God" (Helaman 3:35).
The word sealing in
my message today does not refer exclusively to the ordinance of eternal
marriage performed in the house of the Lord. Rather, I am using this particular
word as explained in the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants:
"This is the testimony
of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the
resurrection of the just—
"They are they who
received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized
after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this
according to the commandment which he has given—
"That by keeping the
commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive
the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed
unto this power;
"And who overcome by
faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds
forth upon all those who are just and true" (vv. 50–53).
The Holy Spirit of Promise
is the ratifying power of the Holy Ghost. When sealed by the Holy Spirit of
Promise, an ordinance, vow, or covenant is binding on earth and in heaven. (See
D&C 132:7.) Receiving this "stamp of
approval" from the Holy Ghost is the result of faithfulness, integrity,
and steadfastness in honoring gospel covenants "in [the] process of
time" (Moses 7:21). However, this sealing can be
forfeited through unrighteousness and transgression.
Purifying and sealing by the
Holy Spirit of Promise constitute the culminating steps in the process of being
born again.
"In the Energy of My Soul"
My beloved brothers and
sisters, I pray this parable of the pickle may help us to evaluate our lives
and to better understand the eternal importance of spiritual rebirth. With
"I say unto you that
this is the order after which I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved
brethren, yea, and every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto
all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and
also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that
they must repent and be born again" (Alma 5:49).
I witness the reality and
divinity of a living Savior who invites us to come unto Him and be transformed.
I testify His Church and priesthood authority have been restored through the
Prophet Joseph Smith. Through faith in Christ, we can be spiritually prepared
and cleansed from sin, immersed in and saturated with His gospel, and purified
and sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise—even born again. In the sacred name of
Jesus Christ, amen.
John 4 –
The Gift of the Holy Ghost is the water of
The woman
at the well cannot see that Christ is the Messiah, just like we cannot
understand (see) the field is white already to harvest! We need light to see and be enlightened.
"NO PROPHET IS ACCEPTED IN HIS
OWN COUNTRY" (Luke 4; John 4)
STEPHEN D. RICKS
As the congregation in
Synagogue Worship in the Time of Christ
Jewish worship in the time of Jesus
was centered in the temple and the synagogue. From its beginning, the synagogue
served a function different from that of the temple. The temple was primarily a
site of priestly sacrifice and the destination of national pilgrimage at the
three great pilgrim feasts: Passover, Tabernacles, and Weeks. fn The synagogue,
on the other hand, was the place of regular communal worship as well as a
significant locus of religious education. fn
The origins of the synagogue remain
somewhat obscure, although most scholars are agreed that it was already a
well-established institution in the early pre-Christian centuries. fn Unlike
the temple, which was located at a single site in
The synagogue at the time of Christ
was generally oriented to the east or toward Jerusalem, fn and was rectangular
in shape, with a single nave and a raised platform in the front third of the
building from which readings from selected texts of the scriptures were given
during services. In many ancient synagogues of
The order of service was already well
developed at the time of Christ. From sources that are nearly contemporary with
the New Testament, synagogue services at this period included the following
elements: (1) private prayer upon entrance to the synagogue; (2) the recitation
of the Shema', a canonical confession of faith in one God; (3) communal
prayers; (4) reading from a part of the Torah (the first five books of the Old
Testament); (5) reading from the prophets; and (6) following a prayer, a sermon
from one of the members of the congregation. fn
The Shema', named from the
opening words of Deuteronomy 6:4, consists of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21,
and Numbers 15:37-41, preceded and followed by one or two benedictions. These
passages were recited as the great confessions of faith among the Jews:
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them
when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when
thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Deut. 6:4-7.)
Prayers were offered standing fn
facing the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem, a practice mentioned several times in
the Old Testament; for example, Daniel 6:10, where Daniel "went into his
house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled
upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God,
as he did aforetime." fn The communal prayers were not offered by the
whole congregation but by a person designated to do so. The congregation made
only certain verbal responses, such as the Amen. fn
The synagogue service in New
Testament times also included readings from both the Pentateuch (the first five
books of the Old Testament) and the prophets. fn
A major element of each synagogue
service was the sermon given by one of the members of the congregation, who
might be chosen by the synagogue leader before the service or might be called
from among the congregants. (See Acts 13:15.) Whereas the readings in the
scriptures were given standing up, the sermon was given seated. (See Luke
4:20.)
"As his custom was," Jesus,
like many observant Jews of his day, went to synagogue services on the Sabbath.
(Luke 4:16.) We need not suppose that all of the elements of the synagogue
service are outlined in Luke 4:16-30, since it was not the intention of the
writer to provide a detailed description of the order of service. Jesus read
from Isaiah 61:1-2 one of the great messages of hope: "The Spirit of the
Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;
he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are
bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19.)
Whether Jesus himself selected the passage in Isaiah that he read to the
congregation or had it selected for him is unclear from the text in Luke,
though it seems, based on the later Jewish practice, that the latter is more
likely. Thereafter, he was given the opportunity to deliver the sermon to the
congregation. The thrust of Jesus' sermon was unmistakable: in him the great
message of hope had found its fulfillment. So great was the anger of certain
members of the congregation at what they thought was the unwarranted arrogance
of "Joseph's son" that they "thrust him out of the city, and led
him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might
cast him down headlong" (Luke 4:29), but Jesus was able to pass through
the crowd, perhaps through miraculous means, and make his way to Capernaum (see
also John 7:30; 8:59; 10:39).
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well
There was probably no group with
which the Jews had lived in longer tension than the Samaritans. Thus, it is not
surprising that the Jewish and Samaritan views of Samaritan origins show
considerable divergency. According to the Jewish view, the Samaritans were
descendants of the intermixture of the few Israelites of the Northern Kingdom
who were left at the time of the destruction of that kingdom by the Assyrians
and the various peoples whom the Assyrians brought in. (See 2 Kgs. 17:24; Ezra
4:2, 10.) Whereas, according to the Jewish view, the Samaritans claimed nominal
allegiance to the Mosaic faith—much of which had been taught to the Samaritans
by an errant Jewish priest (the same mentioned in Neh. 13:28)—this Hebrew
overlay barely concealed the deep heathen roots of their religion (2 Kgs. 17:24-41).
According to the Samaritan version, on the other hand, the Israelite
inhabitants of the
The tensions between the Jews and
Samaritans were heightened by the Jews' sense that they had been betrayed by
the Samaritans during the period of the Babylonian exile and immediately after.
According to the account of the exile and return of the Jews in Ezra and
Nehemiah, the Samaritans conspired with the foreign overlords of
The major beliefs in the Samaritan
faith included: (1) belief in one God; (2) acknowledgment of Moses as the
greatest and final, or "seal" of the prophets; (3) the acceptance of
the first five books of the Old Testament as the word of God, and rejection of
all else as scripture; (4) belief that Mount Gerizim is the chosen place of
God, and acceptance of the temple that stood there as God's chosen sanctuary,
with the concomitant rejection of all other sites (such as the temple in
Jerusalem); (5) the appearance at the end of time of a Taheb (Ta'eb) or
"Restorer," who would appear to usher in a new dispensation, teach
the law, and restore the proper modes of worship; and (6) expectation of a
final day of rewards for the righteous and punishment for the wicked. fn Of
these beliefs, the ones of particular importance for understanding the actions
in John 4 are points 3, 4, and 5.
As mentioned above,
Although it was often longer and
inconvenient to do so, Jews traveling from Galilee to
The Samaritan expresses surprise that
Jesus would ask for a drink from her, since, John parenthetically explains,
"the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans." (John 4:9; Raymond
Brown renders this passage, "Jews, remember, use nothing in common with
Samaritans." fn) The reason for this lack of contact between the two
people results from the Jewish view that Samaritans were ritually impure:
Samaritan women were, according to one passage in the Mishnah, menstruants from
the cradle. fn The Jewish attitude toward the Samaritans may also be reflected
in a regulation enacted in A.D. 65 that declared all Samaritan women unclean
and, consequently, any food or drink likewise ritually impure.
When the woman asks Jesus, "Art
thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well?" (John 4:12),
she is reflecting the deep commitment felt by the Samaritans toward the
patriarchal and Exodus figures in Israelite history. Conversely, all of the
writings from the period after the entrance of Joshua and
After recognizing Jesus as a prophet
who had correctly detailed to her her sad and sordid domestic history, the
Samaritan woman further says to him: "Our fathers worshiped in this
mountain; and ye say, that in
The woman's further statement,
"I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he
will tell us all things" (John 4:25), seems to be an allusion to the
Samaritan belief in the Taheb or restorer. The Taheb is not a
messiah in the Jewish sense of a deliverer or an anointed prince. Rather, he is
like the prophet foretold in Deuteronomy 18:18, where God says: "I will
raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put
my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command
him." He will appear to usher in a new dispensation, instruct the people
in the law, restore the temple on Gerizim, reinstitute the sacrificial cult,
and obtain the recognition of the heathen. fn Indeed, much of John 4:19-25
suggests this Samaritan view of the Taheb, one who will teach and
restore "all things" to their proper and rightful place.
In terms of dramatic sense and
literary, artistry, John 4:4-42 is one of the most skillfully crafted pieces in
the Gospels. Irony (John 4:12), words spoken and understood at different levels
of meaning (John 4:10-11), along with the skillful use of the Samaritan
townspeople in the manner of a Greek chorus (John 4:39-42), fn all combine to
create a powerful episode in which the Samaritan woman is led, step by step,
along a path of recognition of Jesus, first as man, then as Jew, a prophet,
and, finally, the Messiah. What began as a simple request for water resulted in
the conversion of many Samaritans to Jesus.
Conclusion
Paradox and foreshadowing
characterize both Luke 4 and John 4. Jesus, who had himself asserted that he
had been sent only to the lost sheep of the house of
NOTES
Stephen D. Ricks is associate
professor of Hebrew and Semitic languages at
Footnotes
1. The British evangelical biblical
scholars I. Howard Marshall and F. F. Bruce see Isaiah 61 as a Servant
prophecy. (
2. The sacrificial cult associated
with the temple is treated in greatest detail in the canonical text of the
Bible in Leviticus, while the three pilgrim festivals—passover, Weeks, and
Tabernacles—are mentioned several times in the Pentateuch (e.g., Ex. 23:14-17;
Lev. 23:4-8, 15-21, 33-44). fn
. The functional distinction between
the worship of the synagogue (communal worship) and the rites of the temple
(private devotion and ritual renewal) are paralleled by similar distinctions
between the functions of temple and house in numerous other cultures. (See
Harold W. Turner, From
4. For a recent discussion (with some
bibliography) on the antiquity and origins of the synagogue, see Joseph
Gutmann, Ancient Synagogues: The State of the Research (Brown Judaic
Studies Series 22) (Chico, Calif.: Scholars Press, 1981), pp. 1-6. Gutmann
himself favors an origin in second century B.C.
5. Geza Vermes, F. Millar, and
Matthew Black, eds., The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus
Christ (175 B.C.-A.D. 135), 2 vols. (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1983),
2:442, n. 67.
6. Paul Billerbeck, "Ein
Synagogengottesdienst in Jesu Tagen," Zeitschrift fur die
neutestamentliche Wissenschaft 55 (1965): 143-44.
7. Philo, Quod Omnis Probus
12; cf. 1 QS 6:8-9.
8. The segregation of the sexes is
not explicitly mentioned in the ancient literature. Philo's statement
concerning the Therapeutae in De Vita Contemplativa 9 is not relevant,
according to Vermes et al., eds. (History of the Jewish People 2:448, f.
98). There is no special mention of the separation of the sexes in the Talmud.
Still, Vermes et al. assert that "the segregation of the sexes must be
taken for granted." Galleries that may have been intended for women (as
they are sometimes used in modern orthodox synagogues) have been found in
several ancient synagogues in the
9. Marshall, The Gospel of Luke,
p. 181; Vermes et al., History of the Jewish People 2:447-63. However,
as Jacob Neusner has pointed out in numerous articles and books, great caution
must be exercised to avoid retrojecting into an earlier period practices that
were observed in later eras.
10. Matt. 6:5; Mark 11:25; Luke
18:11; Mishnah Berakhot 5:1; Mishnah Ta'anit 2:2.
11. Cf. 1 Kgs. 8:48; Ezek. 8:16;
Mishnah Berakhot 4:5-6; Tosefta Berakhot 3:16; Jerome, Commentarius in
Ezechielem 8:16. Franz Landsberger ("The Sacred Direction in Synagogue
and Church," Hebrew Union College Annual 28 [1957]: 181 [=Joseph
Gutmann, ed., The Synagogue: Studies in Origins, Archaeology and
Architecture (New York: KTAV, 1975), 239]) wishes to avoid the word orientation
in speaking of direction of prayer since it "signifies a turning toward
the east, while we are concerned not only with the east but also with the west,
the north, and the south," i.e., whatever direction it was necessary to
turn in order to face toward the Holy of Holies of the temple in Jerusalem. See
also Erik Peterson, "Die geschichtlich Bedeutung der judischen
Gebetsrichtung," Theologische Zeitschrift 3:1 (1947): 1-15 (=Erik
Peterson, Fruhkirche, Judentum un Gnosis [
12. Vermes et al., History of the
Jewish People 2:449-50.
13. Besides the evidence for
liturgical readings from the prophets in Luke 4:17, there is a similar account
in Acts 13:14-15: "When they departed from Perga, they came to
14. Marshall, Luke, p. 181; L.
C. Crockett, "Luke iv. 16-30 and the Jewish Lectionary Cycle: A Word of
Caution," Journal of Jewish Studies 17 (1966): 13-46; J. Heinemann,
"The Triennial Lectionary Cycle," Journal of Jewish Studies 19
(1968): 41-48; Charles Perrot, "Luc 4, 16-30 et la lecture biblique de
l'ancienne synagogue," Revue des Sciences Religieuses 47 (1973):
324-40 (=Jacques-E. Menard, ed., Exegese biblique et judaisme [
15. For a convenient summary of
Samaritan history during the ancient and early medieval periods, from both the
Jewish and Samaritan points of view, see J. Macdonald, "Samaritans,"
in Encyclopedia Judaica, 16 vols. (Jerusalem: Keter Publishing, 1975),
14:727-31; Theodor H. Gaster, "Samaritans," in G. A. Buttrick, ed., The
Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, 4 vols. (Nashville: Abingdon Press,
1962), 4:191-92.
16. Shechem is mentioned numerous
times in the Pentateuch; for example, Gen. 12:6; 33:18; 35:4; 37:14. Shechem
was the site of the covenant renewal ceremony mentioned in Joshua 24 and was
the place where the bones of Joseph were interred. (Josh. 24:32.)
17. Gaster, "Samaritans,"
pp. 193-94.
18. Gaster, "Samaritans,"
p. 194; Jonathan Z. Smith, "Earth and Gods," in Map Is
19. Ernst Haenchen, John I,
Robert W. Funk, trans. (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984), p. 218; Raymond E.
Brown, The Gospel According to John I-XII (Garden City, New York:
Doubleday & Co., 1981), p. 169.
20. Ibid., p. 170.
21. See David Daube, "Jesus and
the Samaritan Woman: The Meaning of sunchraomai," Journal of Biblical
Literature 69 (1950): 137-47. Daube himself translates this passage,
"The Jews do not use vessels together with Samaritans," ibid., p.
139.
22. According to Josephus, Antiquities
of the Jews 13.9.1, the Jewish ruler John Hyrcanus had destroyed the
Samaritan temple in 128 B.C.
23. John Bowman, "Early
Samaritan Eschatology," Journal of Jewish Studies 5 (1955): 163-72;
John Bowman, "Samaritan Studies," Bulletin of the John Rylands
Library 40 (1957-58): 299.
24. Brown, John, p. 176.
25. Joseph Fitzmeyer, The Gospel
According to Luke I-IX (Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Co., 1981),
p. 529.
(Kent P.
Jackson and Robert L. Millet, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 5: The
Gospels [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1986], 201.)
(John 4:16-35.) – Christ
is a prophet as well as the Son of God; she couldn’t see this fact, he knew her
life in detail and of course knew her marital status. Yet he loves her and wishes to save her.
16 Jesus saith unto her,
Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17 The woman answered and
said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no
husband:
18 For thou hast had five
husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou
truly.
19 The woman saith unto
him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
20 Our fathers worshipped
in this mountain; and ye say, that in
21 Jesus saith unto her,
Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor
yet at
22 Ye worship ye know not
what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour cometh,
and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in
truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit:
and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
25 The woman saith unto
him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he
will tell us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I
that speak unto thee am he.
27 ¶ And upon this came
his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said,
What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
28 The woman then left her
waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
29 Come, see a man, which
told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
30 Then they went out of
the city, and came unto him.
31 ¶ In the mean while his
disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
32 But he said unto them,
I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
33 Therefore said the
disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
34 Jesus saith unto them,
My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
35 Say not ye, There are
yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift
up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Jesus Takes the Gospel to
Unto him that keepeth my commandments
I will give the mysteries of my kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of
living water, springing up unto everlasting life. (D&C 63:23.)
Jesus Journeys to Sychar in
(John 4:4-6; JST John 4:2, John 4:76-7)
"I must needs go through
But why take the dangerous and
robber-infested route through
Why, then, did Jesus feel compelled
to go through
As to the religion of the Samaritans,
it was "a spurious Judaism," Edersheim says, "consisting of a
mixture of their former [pagan] superstitions with Jewish doctrines and
rites." They had once built their own temple on
The Samaritans were a half-Jewish,
half-heathen race who practiced a form of worship of Jehovah and who looked for
a Messiah who was to come. Their religious sensitivities were not so highly
refined as were those of the Jews, but they were nonetheless children of the
Father of us all, and his Son chose to preach the gospel of salvation to them
beginning in Sychar.
And so our Lord and his missionary
companions go from Judea to
Jesus Offers Living Water to All Men
(John 4:7-15; JST John 4:11, 15-16)
Jesus is alone on ground hallowed by
the feet of the great patriarch Jacob, who is
His moment of solitude soon ends. A
woman of Samaria—alone and unattended, carrying a pitcher on her head, with a
long cord to lower and raise the vessel—comes to draw water from her ancestor's
well. Jesus speaks. "Give me to drink," he says. And, be it noted, to
have the very conversation that he is now commencing is one of the chief
reasons he chose to travel through
"How is it that thou, being a
Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of
Time was when the Jews cursed the
Samaritans in their synagogues, refused to accept them as proselytes, accused
them of worshipping idols, said that to eat their bread was like eating swine's
flesh, and taught that they would be denied a resurrection. Even Jesus spoke of
a Samaritan as a stranger, or more accurately an alien. These feelings were not
now so intense, as witness the fact that the disciples were then in Sychar to
obtain Samaritan food, but much of the old hatreds remained. Why then was this
Jew asking a Samaritan for a drink?
"If thou knewest the gift of
God"—the gift of his Son ("For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life"—John 3:16) fn—"and who it is that saith to
thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have
given thee living water."
Living water! "For the thirsty
and choking traveler in a desert wilderness to find water, is to find life, to
find an escape from agonizing death; similarly, the weary pilgrim traveling
through the wilderness of mortality saves himself eternally by drinking from
the wells of living water found in the gospel.
"Living water is the words of
eternal life, the message of salvation, the truths about God and his kingdom;
it is the doctrines of the gospel. Those who thirst are invited to come unto
Christ and drink. Where there are prophets of God, there will be found rivers
of living water, wells filled with eternal truths, springs bubbling forth their
life-giving draughts that save from spiritual death." (Commentary
1:151-52.)
For the sin-laden woman of
"Sir, thou hast nothing to draw
with," she says, "and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou
that living water?" As though living water could be found in a dead well!
As though spiritual things can be understood by a carnal mind! "Art thou
greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof
himself, and his children, and his cattle?" Her claim to prophetic
ancestry but dramatizes the reality that even the wicked and ungodly have
religious instincts that they seek to satisfy by forms of worship that do not
interfere with their carnal courses.
The stage is set, all is in
readiness, and the Master Teacher is now prepared to teach the perfect lesson,
to deliver the message of how salvation comes to thirsty and water-hungry
mortals. They must drink the draughts of eternal truth; these only will give
life to the spirit; these eternal wells, full of eternal water, will make
available eternal life. As the parched and swollen tongues of desert travelers
are refreshed with water drawn from the wells of earth, so the thirsting spirit
lives again when living water is poured into the soul. Hence, Jesus' answer is:
Whosoever shall drink of this well,
shall thirst again; But whosoever drinketh of the water which I shall give him
shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well
of water springing up into everlasting life.
But the woman, still blinded by her
sins, fails to hear the message. Still thinking only of the things of this
world, as is the way with carnal people, she says: "Sir, give me this
water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw."
Jesus Invites Men to Worship the Father
(John 4:16-24; JST John 4:26)
Jesus taught the woman of
A light begins to dawn. This is no
ordinary man; not only does he speak of a strange water, living water, but he
also reveals those things which can only be known by divine power. "Sir, I
perceive that thou art a prophet," the woman says.
This, then, is her opportunity. This
Jew is a prophet; he can solve the centuries-old dispute between the Samaritans
and the Jews. True Israelite worship centers in a temple.
"Woman, believe me," comes
the response, "the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain,
nor yet at
"Ye worship ye know not
what." Samaritan worship was a strange intermixture of pagan and Israelite
doctrine. Centuries before they had added the worship of Jehovah to the worship
of their numerous idols; now this higher form of worship had become the
dominant force in their way of worship, and their rituals and performances were
dominantly Mosaic in nature, but still their worship was both Jewish and pagan
all wrapped in one. fn
"We know what we worship,"
Jesus continued, "for salvation is of the Jews." As between
But the hour cometh, and now is, when
the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the
Father seeketh such to worship him. For unto such hath God promised his Spirit [not God is a Spirit as our King
James Version erroneously records]—And they who worship him, must worship in
spirit and in truth.
Jesus Saith: I AM THE MESSIAH
(John 4:25-30; JST John 4:28)
We know that there is a God in
heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same
unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in
them; And that he created man, male and female, after his own image and in his
own likeness, created he them; And gave unto them commandments that they should
love and serve him, the only living and true God, and that he should be the
only being whom they should worship. (D&C 20:17-19.)
Praise ye the Father. Worship the
Father. Come unto the Father. He is God above all. Worship him in spirit and in
truth. Such is his will. But do it in and through Christ who is the Messiah.
The number one truth—in all
eternity—is that God is our Father, the Creator of us and all things, whom we
must worship in spirit and in truth to gain salvation. Jesus has now, at
Jacob's Well, proclaimed this eternal verity. It is the beginning of all true
religion.
The number two truth—in all
eternity—is that the Son of God is the Messiah, the Redeemer, through whose
atoning sacrifice immortality and eternal life are brought to pass. Having
testified of the Father, our Lord must now bear witness of the Son. The woman,
still not comprehending the pearls of great price that are dropping from the
mouth of a Jew, says: "I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ:
when he is come, he will tell us all things." fn She could not believe
this unknown Jew; if only the Messiah would come, if only he were here, all
problems would be solved!
Jesus said unto her, I who speak unto thee am the Messias.
She had his witness of the Father;
now he bore record of himself. He knew who he was. In the temple when but
twelve years of age, he had so certified, in the statements about his Father's
business. He had accepted the testimonies of John the Baptist and of his
disciples. Nicodemus had heard him refer to himself as the Only Begotten of the
Father. He was the Messiah; he knew it; and he knew it was his mission so to
testify to all who would hear, whether they were receptive or, as this
Samaritan woman, had sealed hearts and unbelieving blood.
How much else Jesus said to this
woman we do not know. At this point in the dialogue, John's account says the
disciples returned from Sychar with food to eat. They marveled that Jesus
talked with the woman—a conversation that he and not she had initiated, for it
violated the customs of the day for a Rabbi to speak in public with a woman, to
say nothing of a Samaritan woman, and least of all a woman of easy virtue. Yet
their reserve was such and his command of the situation so complete that none
asked, "What seekest thou: or, Why talkest thou with her?"
With the arrival of the disciples,
the woman left, leaving, in her excitement, her water pot. In the city she said
to the men, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I
did." No doubt her report was a great exaggeration, but Jesus may well
have told her other things about her life than those which pertained to her
marital state. She had heard him say he was the Messiah, and so she said to the
people in the city: "Is not this the Christ?"
"Then they went out of the
city," as Jesus had planned and foreseen, "and came unto him."
He had preached to one unreceptive person with such power and effect that he
now had a congregation of many receptive souls, all anxious to hear the marvelous
message about which one of their own number spoke so positively.
"He That Reapeth Receiveth Wages"
(John 4:31-42; JST John 4:40)
After the woman, whose name we do not
even know, departed for Sychar, the disciples made ready their food. When it
was offered to Jesus, he said: "I have meat to eat that ye know not
of," which caused the disciples to ask one another: "Hath any man
brought him ought to eat?"
To this Jesus said: "My meat is
to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." The preaching
of the gospel; the spread of eternal truth; the establishment of the earthly
kingdom; the onward rolling of the great cause of truth and righteousness among
men—these become the work, the all-consuming passion, of those who are endowed
with power from on high. It becomes their meat and their drink; it takes all
their strength; it embraces every waking word and thought. Those who are called
to divine service are expected to serve with all their hearts, might, mind, and
strength. Temporal needs sink into oblivion. The work becomes their meat and
drink and breath and life. Jesus' meat was to do the work of his Father.
Now the multitudes are arriving.
"Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest?"
Jesus asks. That is, it is late December, possibly early January, and in four
months the barley harvest will begin in
"And he that reapeth receiveth
wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal," Jesus continued, "that
both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." The Lord
pays his servants. Those who sow and those who harvest in his fields receive
wages. They receive eternal life for themselves in that kingdom which is eternal;
such a reward is the wages that are provided. fn
"And herein is that saying true,
One soweth, and another reapeth. I have sent you to reap that whereon ye
bestowed no labor; the prophets have labored, and ye have entered into their
labors." The work of saving souls is a great cooperative enterprise: one
sows and another reaps. Isaiah and the prophets foretold the coming of a
Messiah and the setting up of his earthly kingdom; they sowed the seeds of
faith in the hearts of all who should read and believe their words, and the
disciples who were with Jesus in his ministry reaped in the fields planted by
their fellow servants of old. The Nephite prophets sowed the seeds of faith and
righteousness in the Book of Mormon, and we go out, in our day, to reap the
harvest, so that we and our Nephite brethren can rejoice together in that great
day when all are safely gathered into the Eternal Granaries.
Jesus preached to those who thus came
out to hear him, and he went, at their importuning, into the city, where he
abode two days ministering among the people. Many believed because of the
testimony of the woman. "And many more believed because of his own
word," and they testified: "We have heard him ourselves, and know
that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world."
Truly, the gospel was preached in
Footnotes
1. "When the Ten Tribes were
transported to Assyria more than seven centuries before the Christian era,
2. "The political enmity and
religious separation between the Jews and Samaritans account for their mutual
jealousy. On all public occasions the Samaritans took the part hostile to the
Jews, while they seized every opportunity of injuring and insulting them. Thus,
in the time of Antiochus III they sold many Jews into slavery. Afterwards they
sought to mislead the Jews at a distance, to whom the beginning of every month
(so important to the Jewish festive arrangements) was intimated by beacon
fires, by kindling spurious signals. We also read that they tried to desecrate
the
3. "Here we view one of the most
human scenes of the Master's whole ministry. The Lord of heaven, who created
and controls all things, having made clay his tabernacle, is physically tired,
weary, hungry, and thirsty, following his long journey from Judea. He who had
power to draw food and drink from the elements, who could have transported
himself at will to any location, sought rest and refreshments at Jacob's Well.
In all things he was subjecting himself to the proper experiences of
mortality." (Commentary 1:151.)
4. Farrar, p. 159, footnote 2;
Edersheim 1:399-403; Luke 17:18.
5. "Know ye not that ye are the
6. "And ye shall offer up unto
me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings
shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt
offerings. And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a
contrite spirit." (3 Ne. 9:19-20.) "Present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
(Rom. 12:1.)
7. We might liken Samaritan worship
to that of the Aztecs or the Mayas, after those ancient peoples had been
conquered by Cortez and the other Spanish generals. Their conquerors imposed
Christianity in the form of Catholicism upon them, and the result was a strange
admixture of religious form and thought, which over the years has taken on more
and more of the basics of Catholicism and less and less of the paganism of the
past.
8. With the Samaritans it was as with
the Jews, they anxiously awaited the advent of the Messiah. "They looked
for the coming of a Messiah, in Whom the promise would be fulfilled, that the
Lord God would raise up a Prophet from the midst of them, like unto Moses, in
Whom his words were to be, and unto Whom they should hearken. Thus, while, in
some respects, access to them would be more difficult than to His own
countrymen, yet in others Jesus would find there a soil better prepared for the
Divine Seed, or, at least, less encumbered by the thistles and tares of
traditionalism and Pharisaic bigotry." (Edersheim 1:403.)
9. "For behold the field is
white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might,
the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to
his soul." (D&C 4:4.) "Whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in
his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts. that he may treasure
up for his soul everlasting salvation in the
(Bruce R.
McConkie, The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979-1981], 1: 493.)
(John 4:46-54.) – The
father’s faith is rewarded because of his faith; the son was healed at 1:00 pm,
the same time as the request was made.
The man had faith in what he could not see, absolute confidence combined
with action.
46 So Jesus came again
into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman,
whose son was sick at
47 When he heard that
Jesus was come out of Judaea into
48 Then said Jesus unto
him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
49 The nobleman saith unto
him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the
man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and
told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend.
And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in
the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his
whole house.
54 This is again
the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into
Jesus Heals the Nobleman's Son
(John 4:46-54; JST John 4:55-56)
Miracles are part of the gospel.
Signs follow those that believe. Where the doctrines of salvation are taught in
purity and perfection, where there are believing souls who accept these truths
and make them a part of their lives, and where devout souls accept Jesus as
their Lord and serve him to the best of their ability, there will always be
miracles. Such ever attend the preaching of the gospel to receptive and
conforming people. Miracles stand as a sign and a witness of the truth and
divinity of the Lord's work. Where there are miracles, there is the gospel, the
Church, the kingdom, and the hope of salvation. Where there are no signs and
miracles, none of these desired blessings will be found. These realizations
prepare us to consider the episodes and reports that have been preserved for us
in the Gospels.
And so Jesus, coming back into
Galilee, to a people many of whom are for the moment receptive and friendly,
goes to
While Jesus was in Cana, perhaps
staying at the home of Nathanael, there came to him from
To this assumption that the personal
presence of the Healer was required to effect a cure, Jesus said: "Except
ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." 'Except ye see me come and
lay my hands on the head of your son, as ye are aware I have done to others, ye
will not believe that he shall be healed. Do ye not know that it is written of
me, "He sent his word, and healed them"?' (Ps. 107:20.) In spite of
this gentle rebuke, the nobleman continued to plead: "Sir, come down ere
my child die."
Having thus tested the growing faith
of the influential suppliant, and finding that he knew in his heart that Jesus
had power to heal those who lay at death's door, our Lord said: "Go thy
way; thy son liveth." There was to be no gradual cure; distance meant
nothing where the exercise of healing power was involved. Jesus spoke, and the
event transpired. Without further assurance, knowing only that this Man's words
must all be fulfilled, the nobleman "believed the word that Jesus had
spoken unto him, and he went his way."
Whereas he had come in haste, anxious
and perturbed, importuning and pleading that Jesus travel to
This is the first healing miracle
that is set forth in detail in the Gospels. Those performed at the Feast of the
Passover and throughout all
With reference to the dying boy, it
bears witness that the Divine Healer is not limited by geographical location;
that he speaks and disease flees; that the whereabouts of the suffering
suppliant is of no moment; that God governs all things; that his power is
everywhere. With reference to the father who sought the divine intervention, it
bears witness that the growth of faith in the heart of an earthbound pilgrim,
and the healing, as it were, of the soul of man, is as great a miracle as—nay,
a far greater miracle than—the healing of the physical body.
Having heard the gospel taught, and
believing that the Teacher could work miracles, the father came to Jesus. 'Come
down to
(Bruce R.
McConkie, The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979-1981], 2: 10.)
John 5-9
April 12, 2007
3 Nephi
9-25 – We receive the lesser portion of the word to try our faith
3 Nephi 26
– Only 100th part can Mormon write of all of the events the Savior
did with the people.
The greater
portion of the plates are sealed, Lehi’s dream 1st Nephi 8, greater
detail in Nephi’s dream chapters 11-14.
(JST John 5:1-20.) – The
Jewish leaders were satisfied with the dos and don’ts and were angry with Jesus
healing on the Sabbath, He kept the Sabbath perfectly. They cared less about the miracle; they
focused on the supposed violation of the law. Christ does the will of the Father, if you
want to come to the Father you must follow Christ.
1 After this there was a
feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to
2 Now there is at
3 In these porches lay a
great many impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of
the water.
4 For an angel went down
at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water, whosoever then first
after the troubling of the water stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever
disease he had.
5 And a certain man was
there, who had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6 And Jesus saw him lie,
and knew that he had been now a long time afflicted; and he said unto him, Wilt
thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man
answered him, Sir, I have no man when the water is troubled, to put me into the
pool; but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus said unto him,
Rise, take up thy bed and walk.
9 And immediately the man
was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked; and it was on the Sabbath day.
10 The Jews therefore said
unto him who was cured, It is the Sabbath day; it is not lawful for thee to
carry thy bed.
11 He answered them, He
who made me whole, said unto me, Take up thy bed and walk.
12 Then answered they him,
saying, What man is he who said unto thee, Take up thy bed and walk?
13 And he that was healed
knew not who it was; for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in
the place.
14 Afterward Jesus findeth
him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more,
lest a worse thing come unto thee.
15 The man departed, and
told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him whole;
16 And therefore did the
Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things
on the Sabbath day.
17 But Jesus answered
them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
18 Therefore the Jews
sought the more to kill him, because he had not only broken the Sabbath, but
said also that God was his father, making himself equal with God.
19 Then answered Jesus and
said unto them, Verily, Verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of
himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for what things soever he doeth,
these also doeth the Son likewise.
20 For the Father loveth
the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth; and he will show him
greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
The Grandeur of God
Elder Jeffery R. Holland
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ensign, Nov. 2003, pp. ??
[Note: Original footnotes have been placed within the text.]
Of the many magnificent
purposes served in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, one great
aspect of that mission often goes uncelebrated. His followers did not
understand it fully at the time, and many in modern Christianity do not grasp
it now, but the Savior Himself spoke of it repeatedly and emphatically. It is
the grand truth that in all that Jesus came to say and do, including and
especially in His atoning suffering and sacrifice, He was showing us who and
what God our Eternal Father is like, how completely devoted He is to His
children in every age and nation. In word and in deed Jesus was trying to
reveal and make personal to us the true nature of His Father, our Father in
Heaven.
He did this at least in part
because then and now all of us need to know God more fully in order to love Him
more deeply and obey Him more completely. As both Old and New Testaments
declare, "The first of all the commandments is . . . thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,
and with all thy strength: this is the first [and great] commandment"
(Mark 12:29-30; see also Matthew 22:37-38; Deuteronomy 6:5).
Little wonder then that the
Prophet Joseph Smith taught: "It is the first principle of the gospel to
know for a certainty the character of God." "I want you all to know
Him," he said, "and to be familiar with Him" (History of the
Church, 6:305.). We must have "a correct idea of his . . .
perfections, and attributes," an admiration for "the excellency of
[His] character" (Lectures on Faith (1985), 38, 42.). Thus the
first phrase we utter in the declaration of our faith is, "We believe in
God, the Eternal Father" (Articles of Faith 1:1.). So, emphatically, did
Jesus. Even as He acknowledged His own singular role in the divine plan, the
Savior nevertheless insisted on this prayerful preamble: "And this is life
eternal, that they might know thee the only true God" (John 17:3).
After generations of
prophets had tried to teach the family of man the will and the way of the
Father, usually with little success, God in His ultimate effort to have us know
Him, sent to earth His Only Begotten and perfect Son, created in His very
likeness and image, to live and serve among mortals in the everyday rigors of
life.
To come to earth with such a
responsibility, to stand in place of Elohim-speaking as He would speak, judging
and serving, loving and warning, forbearing and forgiving as He would do-this
is a duty of such staggering proportions that you and I cannot comprehend such
a thing. But in the loyalty and determination that would be characteristic of a
divine child, Jesus could comprehend it and He did it. Then, when the praise
and honor began to come, He humbly directed all adulation to the Father.
"The Father . . . doeth
the works," He said in earnest. "The Son can do nothing of himself,
but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever [the Father] doeth,
these also doeth the Son likewise" (John 14:10; 5:19). On another occasion
He said: "I speak that which I have seen with my Father." "I do
nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me." "I came down
from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me"
(John 8:38, 28; 6:38).
I make my own heartfelt declaration
of God our Eternal Father this morning because some in the contemporary world
suffer from a distressing misconception of Him. Among these there is a tendency
to feel distant from the Father, even estranged from Him, if they believe in
Him at all. And if they do believe, many moderns say they might feel
comfortable in the arms of Jesus, but they are uneasy contemplating the stern
encounter of God (see William Barclay, The Mind of Jesus (1961),
especially the chapter "Looking at the Cross" for a discussion of
this modern tendency). Through a misreading (and surely, in some cases, a
mistranslation) of the Bible, these see God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son
as operating very differently, this in spite of the fact that in both the Old
Testament and the New, the Son of God is one and the same, acting as He always
does under the direction of the Father, who is Himself the same
"yesterday, today, and forever" (for example, 1 Ne. 10:18; 2 Nephi
27:23; Moroni 10:19; D&C 20:12).
In reflecting on these misconceptions
we realize that one of the remarkable contributions of the Book of Mormon is
its seamless, perfectly consistent view of divinity throughout that majestic
book. Here there is no Malachi-to-Matthew gap, no pause while we shift
theological gears, no misreading the God who is urgently, lovingly, faithfully
at work on every page of that record from its Old Testament beginning to its
New Testament end. Yes, in an effort to give the world back its Bible and a
correct view of Deity with it, what we have in the Book of Mormon is a uniform
view of God in all His glory and goodness, all His richness and
complexity-including and especially as again demonstrated through a personal
appearance of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
How grateful we are for all
the scriptures, especially the scriptures of the Restoration, that teach us the
majesty of each member of the Godhead. How we would thrill, for example, if all
the world would receive and embrace the view of the Father so movingly
described in the Pearl of Great Price.
There, in the midst of a
grand vision of humankind which heaven opened to his view, Enoch, observing
both the blessings and challenges of mortality, turns his gaze toward the
Father and is stunned to see Him weeping. He says in wonder and amazement to
this most powerful Being in the universe: "How is it that thou canst weep?
. . . Thou art just [and] merciful and kind forever; . . . Peace . . . is the
habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end;
how is it thou canst weep?"
Looking out on the events of
almost any day, God replies: "Behold these thy brethren; they are the
workmanship of mine own hands. . . . I gave unto them . . . [a] commandment,
that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their
Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood.
. . . Wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer?"
(Moses 7:29-33, 37)
That single, riveting scene
does more to teach the true nature of God than any theological treatise could
ever convey. It also helps us understand much more emphatically that vivid
moment in the Book of Mormon allegory of the olive tree, when after digging and
dunging, watering and weeding, trimming, pruning, transplanting, and grafting,
the great Lord of the vineyard throws down his spade and his pruning shears and
weeps, crying out to any who would listen, "What could I have done more
for my vineyard?" (Jacob 5:41; see also vv. 47, 49)
What an indelible image of
God's engagement in our lives! What anguish in a parent when His children do
not choose Him nor "the gospel of God" He sent! (Romans 1:1) How easy
to love someone who so singularly loves us!
Of course the centuries-long
drift away from belief in such a perfect and caring Father hasn't been helped
any by the man-made creeds of erring generations which describe God variously
as unknown and unknowable----formless, passionless, elusive, ethereal,
simultaneously everywhere and nowhere at all. Certainly that does not describe
the Being we behold through the eyes of these prophets. Nor does it match the
living, breathing, embodied Jesus of Nazareth who was and is in "the
brightness of his glory, and the express image of his [Father]" (Hebrews
1:3; see also 2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15).
In that sense Jesus did not
come to improve God's view of man nearly so much as He came to improve man's
view of God and to plead with them to love their Heavenly Father as He has
always and will always love them. The plan of God, the power of God, the
holiness of God, yes, even the anger and the judgment of God they had occasion
to understand. But the love of God, the profound depth of His devotion to His
children, they still did not fully know-until Christ came.
So feeding the hungry,
healing the sick, rebuking hypocrisy, pleading for faith-this was Christ
showing us the way of the Father, He who is "merciful and gracious, slow
to anger, long-suffering and full of goodness" (Lectures on Faith,
42). In His life and especially in His death, Christ was declaring, "This
is God's compassion I am showing you, as well as that of my own."
In the perfect Son's manifestation of the perfect Father's care, in Their
mutual suffering and shared sorrow for the sins and heartaches of the rest of
us, we see ultimate meaning in the declaration: "For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the
world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved"
(John 3:16-17).
I bear personal witness this
day of a personal, living God, who knows our names, hears and answers prayers,
and cherishes us eternally as children of His spirit. I testify that amidst the
wondrously complex tasks inherent in the universe, He seeks our individual
happiness and safety above all other godly concerns. We are created in His very
image and likeness (see Genesis 1:26-27; Moses 2:26-27), and Jesus of Nazareth,
His Only Begotten Son in the flesh, came to earth as the perfect mortal
manifestation of His grandeur. In addition to the witness of the ancients we
also have the modern miracle of
I bear witness of a God who
has such shoulders. And in the spirit of the holy apostleship, I say as did one
who held this office anciently: "Herein [then] is love, not that we loved
God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another"(1 John
4:10)-and to love Him forever, I pray. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ,
amen.
THE DIVINE SONSHIP AND THE LAW OF
WITNESSES (John 5)
JOSEPH F. McCONKIE
How are we to know with perfect
assurance that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Son of God, the fulfillment of
the prophets? What obligation rested upon the Nazarene to establish for his own
and all future generations his claim to divine Sonship? By what standards are
we to assess such assertions? We accept or reject the Christ at the peril of
our eternal lives. What evidence are the heavens required to produce to
establish the truth of such a claim? And by what standards are we to assess
this and like declarations? Such are the matters with which the Gospel, or
Testimony, of John deals. No chapter in that Gospel does so more directly than
the fifth chapter.
Two major themes dominate this chapter
of John: Christ's repeated affirmation that he had been sent of the Father,
that he could do nothing of himself, that he received no honor from men, that
he came in his Father's name to do his Father's will; and the evidences or
testimonies of his divine Sonship. Every word and event in the chapter is
directed to the accomplishment of that dual purpose. The events of this day
center in his healing a lame man at the pool of
Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath
The setting of our story finds us in
Christ, who kept with exactness and
honor the law as given on Sinai, had no reverence for these trappings with
which men had embellished that law. It is not for mortals to tamper with the
commandments of God, either adding to or taking therefrom; those doing so build
upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell open to receive them. (See 3 Ne.
11:39-40.) Thus with deliberation and intent Christ sought for one in need of
his healing powers that holy day, one upon whom a miracle could properly be
performed. How more perfectly to dramatize the issue—was the love of his fellow
Jews centered in the God who made them or in traditions of their own making?
Would they rejoice in the healing of their brother or would they offend the
very spirit of the Sabbath with anger that some inconsequential taboo of their
concocting had been violated?
Among those with whom Christ chose to
honor his Father in worship that day were the afflicted souls who stood vigil over
the waters of the pool of
The scripture records no rejoicing at
the man's good fortune, nor does it contain any hint that his nation saw reason
to praise God for the miracle they had witnessed. We read no commendation of
Jesus, no suggestion that he might be their long-promised Messiah, but rather
condemnation of a man who carried his bed on the Sabbath day and efforts to
kill the person who directed him to do so. It was the tradition that was loved
and honored, not the living Christ.
Jesus Proclaims His Divine Sonship
The scene of our story now shifts to
the temple ground, where Christ had gone to teach. It was there that he was
identified as the one who had defiled holy traditions by healing a man. The
bitter opposition of the people had the desired effect of attracting a sizeable
multitude; among their number were those, howbeit few in number, who would hear
with listening ears. Jesus was readily condemned for his violation of the
Sabbath, yet we are left to wonder at the nature of his offense. He of himself
had lifted no burden, he had administered no medicine, he had walked no more
than the requisite number of steps the rabbis had decreed appropriate, he had
done no work save that of the Spirit, he had done nothing save utter the healing
words. No charges, according to their system of legalism, were brought against
him, yet he had shown his disdain for that system in his direction to another
to defy it. If there be sin in what had transpired, it rested with God, for it
was his power that worked that day to perform the miracle of healing.
The matter of healing and the petty
Sabbath observances were of little interest to Christ. It is not of such things
that he chose to speak. The occasion could not pass save he used it to declare
his own divine Sonship. Thus he responded to their charges, saying, "My
Father worketh hitherto, and I work." (John 5:17.) The implication of the
statement was lost on none. If God, who is his Father, chose to do works of
righteousness on the Sabbath, can he as his Son choose to do less?
We need no other evidence as to how
completely and perfectly Christ's testimony of his divine Sonship was
understood than the subsequent efforts to kill him. Now he had added the charge
of blasphemy to that of breaking the Sabbath. Again his testimony was
distorted—his announcement that he was God's Son was perverted to be an
announcement that he was equal with God. Christ said no such thing. He did say
he was God's Son, that as God's Son he could do "nothing of himself, but
what he seeth the Father do," and that he had been sent of the Father. He
testified of the power that was in God and announced that to reject him was to
reject the Father, and conversely to accept his word and believe in him was to
believe in the Father and accept him. To those who did so, he promised eternal
life, while those who rejected his testimony were assured condemnation. (John
5:19-24.)
Jesus Announces Himself as God of the Living and the Dead
Having announced his divine Sonship
and having made the acceptance or rejection of his claim the hinge upon which
the door of salvation swings, Christ then responded to the question that must
be the natural sequel to such an announcement. If, indeed, he was the Messiah,
and if the acceptance of him was the central point of salvation, what becomes
of the innumerable host who had died without a knowledge of him? 'My Father has
"committed all judgment" to me,' he had declared. (John 5:22.) No
plainer statement professing Messiahship could be given. If he was to render
justice to all, and surely God could do no less, how were those who died
without the knowledge of him to be judged? Such was the matter to which Christ
then responded: "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear
the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father
hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and
hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of
man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in
the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done
good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the
resurrection of damnation." (John 5:25-29.)
We could paraphrase Christ's words
thus: In very fact you live in the age and generation in which this same gospel
will be taught to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to
men in the flesh. They too must accept or reject my claim to divine Sonship,
and they too must do so at the peril of their eternal lives. Indeed, all must
have the opportunity to hear. This I do because I have inherited from our
Father that power of life which is in him. From my mortal mother, Mary, I
inherited the gift of death. From God, who fathered this earthly tabernacle, I
have life within myself. The power to break the bands of death is mine, and
through me all will come forth in the resurrection—the good to everlasting
life, the evil to everlasting damnation. fn
Of John's statement that there are
but two resurrections—that of the just and that of the unjust—Elder Bruce R.
McConkie observed: "With the exception of the statement in James (Jas.
1:5) which led to the appearance of the Father and the Son to the Prophet, thus
ushering in the dispensation of the fullness of times, this one verse has
probably done more to open the door to the mysteries of salvation than any
other single verse of scripture. It is the verse that paid off a thousand fold
for all the struggle that ever went in to the preparation of the Inspired
Version of the Bible, for it was meditation upon this verse that caused the
Prophet to receive the vision of the degrees of glory." fn
"While we were doing the work of
translation, which the Lord had appointed unto us," Joseph Smith wrote,
"[this verse] was given unto us as follows—speaking of the resurrection of
the dead, concerning those who shall hear the voice of the Son of Man: and
shall come forth; they who have done good, in the resurrection of the just; and
they who have done evil, in the resurrection of the unjust. Now this caused us
to marvel, for it was given unto us of the Spirit. And while we meditated upon
these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were
opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about. And we beheld. . . ."
(D&C 76:15-20.) Then follows the vision of the degrees of glory, one of the
most marvelous visions ever penned by a prophet.
Jesus Obeys the Law of Witnesses
If there be justice in the heavens,
the matter of accepting or rejecting Jesus as our Savior cannot be a matter of
good fortune contrasted with another's misjudgment. There must be a divinely
ordained system whereby all might know with perfect surety those truths upon
which salvation rests, and so there is. The laws that govern heaven assure that
all, be it in this life or the next, will be granted full and complete
opportunity to hear the gospel message. As a birthright, all are bequeathed the
light of Christ, and all may lay claim to the companionship of the Holy Ghost
through purity and obedience. Further, we have been assured that all saving
truths will have both manifestation and confirmation. The divine law states it
thus: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be
established." (2 Cor. 13:1.) No testimony is to stand alone. There are no
exceptions: the message of all who would claim themselves prophets must comply
with this heaven-given standard. It is for this very reason that the Godhead
consists of three separate and distinct personages—two Gods to bear witness of
the third. Thus Christ explained: "I bear record of the Father, and the
Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father
and me." (3 Ne. 11:32.)
It was absolutely essential that
Christ comply with this principle in his mortal ministry. Had he failed to do
so, none would be obligated to accept his claim to Messiahship. Knowing this,
the Pharisees came to him, saying, "Thou bearest record of thyself; thy
record is not true." (John 8:13.) Responding to their challenge, Jesus
replied: "I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also
written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear
witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me." (John
8:16-18.)
In the text before us, Christ is
recorded as saying, "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not
true." (John 5:31.) In his inspired translation, Joseph Smith rendered the
verse, "I bear witness of myself, yet my witness is true." (JST, John
5:32.) In either case the sense is the same—his testimony cannot stand alone.
In this instance Christ appealed to the witness of John the Baptist, who came
as "a burning and shining light" to prepare the hearts of mortals to
accept Jesus as the Christ. John came declaring the gospel of repentance, so
that we might see with pure eyes; he came baptizing, so that the cataracts of
sin might not impede our vision; he came announcing Jesus of Nazareth as the
Lamb of God. (See John 5:32-35; 1:36.)
In addition, Christ cited the
works he had done as evidence of his divine nature. (John 5:36.) Every
miracle he performed, every word he preached, every prophecy he uttered, had
one common element: to testify of him as the great Redeemer. To this he added
the witness of his Father, who had rent the heavens—and would do so again—and
who in audible voice proclaimed Jesus of Nazareth as his Son. (John 5:37-38.)
Jesus then cited yet another evidence that he was what he professed to be—the
testimony of the scriptures. To those who used the scriptures to war against
him, he said, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal
life: and they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39.)
Oh, how foolish is mind of anyone to
suppose that eternal life is to be found within a book rather than in the
living witness of the Spirit. No people have professed a greater love for the
scriptures than those who have used them as the pretext to reject the Lord's
anointed, and as they rejected those who came in his name, so they rejected him.
To those of his day, those who rejected him in the name of loyalty to the law
of Moses, Christ said, "Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father:
There is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust." (John
5:45.) Moses, who under divine direction established a law every jot and tittle
of which was intended to testify of Christ and prepare a people to accept him,
will, of all men, be most offended by that which has been done inappropriately
in his name.
There is a marvelous constancy in the
spirit of disbelief; to find it in one dispensation is to know it in others. In
our day some claim allegiance to Peter, while rejecting his testimony that in
the last days there would be a restoration of all things (see Acts 3:19-21);
others pay homage to Paul, while ignoring his injunction that we must
"work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philip.
2:12). It is not without significance that in our day those who are the most
vociferous in their defense of the Bible are also the most selective in what
they choose to see within its covers. Like the Pharisees, their ancient
counterparts, they read with blind eyes—one blinded by their traditions, the
other with their excessive zeal. In the meridian of time, the scriptures were
used to reject Christ and his servants. Their ancient craft has been bequeathed
to modern successors, who in like manner use the Bible to sustain their
position of spiritual supremacy and salvation while rejecting the living Christ
and his servants who have been commissioned to proclaim the message of the
restoration. The story of John 5 is as much the story of our day as it is the
story of ancient days.
NOTES
Joseph F. McConkie is associate
professor of ancient scripture at
Footnotes
1. Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal
Messiah, 4 vols. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1979-81), 1:207.
2. The Gospels, and that of John in
particular, are full of such statements. We are left to wonder about the rather
astonishing ignorance manifest in discussions and writings that question
whether Christ ever announced himself as divine.
3. Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-73),
1:195.
(Kent P. Jackson and Robert
L. Millet, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 5: The Gospels [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1986], 279.)
(Doctrine and Covenants
138:13.) – Broken heart, consecration of all to the family of God. We serve with all of our heart, might, mind,
and strength to build up the kingdom.
There is complete unselfishness; focus on saving the family, there is a
free will offering we give voluntarily.
13
And who had offered sacrifice in the similitude of the great sacrifice of the
Son of God, and had suffered tribulation in their Redeemer's name.
We can work
on becoming perfected on the things we say and how we treat others.
The Tongue of Angels
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles
Our words, like our
deeds, should be filled with faith and hope and charity.
The Prophet Joseph Smith
deepened our understanding of the power of speech when he taught, "It
is by words . . . [that] every being works when he works by
faith. God said, 'Let there be light: and there was light.' Joshua spake,
and the great lights which God had created stood still. Elijah commanded, and
the heavens were stayed for the space of three years and six months, so that it
did not rain. . . . All this was done by
faith. . . . Faith, then, works by words; and with
[words] its mightiest works have been, and will be, performed."1 Like all gifts "which cometh
from above," words are "sacred, and must be spoken with care, and by
constraint of the Spirit."2
It is with this realization
of the power and sanctity of words that I wish to caution us, if caution is
needed, regarding how we speak to each other and how we speak of ourselves.
There is a line from the
Apocrypha which puts the seriousness of this issue better than I can. It reads,
"The stroke of the whip maketh marks in the flesh: but the stroke of the
tongue breaketh the bones."3 With that stinging image in mind, I
was particularly impressed to read in the book of James that there was a way I
could be "a perfect man."
Said James: "For in
many things we offend all. [But] if any man offend not in word, the same is
a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body."
Continuing the imagery of
the bridle, he writes: "Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that
they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
"Behold
also . . . ships, which though they
be . . . great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are
they turned about with a very small helm."
Then James makes his point:
"The tongue is [also] a little member. . . . [But]
behold, how great a [forest (Greek)] a little fire [can burn].
" . . . So
is the tongue [a fire] among our members, . . . it defileth
the whole body, . . . it is set on fire of hell.
"For every kind of
beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the
sea, . . . hath been tamed of mankind:
"But the tongue can no
man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
"Therewith bless we
God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the
similitude of God.
"Out of the same mouth
proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to
be."4
Well, that is pretty
straightforward! Obviously James doesn't mean our tongues are always
iniquitous, nor that everything we say is "full of deadly poison."
But he clearly means that at least some things we say can be destructive, even
venomous—and that is a chilling indictment for a Latter-day Saint! The voice
that bears profound testimony, utters fervent prayer, and sings the hymns of
Is this something we could
all work on just a little? Is this an area in which we could each try to be a
little more like a "perfect" man or woman?
Husbands, you have been
entrusted with the most sacred gift God can give you—a wife, a daughter of God,
the mother of your children who has voluntarily given herself to you for love
and joyful companionship. Think of the kind things you said when you were
courting, think of the blessings you have given with hands placed lovingly upon
her head, think of yourself and of her as the god and goddess you both
inherently are, and then reflect on other moments characterized by cold,
caustic, unbridled words. Given the damage that can be done with our tongues,
little wonder the Savior said, "Not that which goeth into the mouth
defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a
man."5 A husband who would never dream of
striking his wife physically can break, if not her bones, then certainly her
heart by the brutality of thoughtless or unkind speech. Physical abuse is
uniformly and unequivocally condemned in The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. If it is possible to be more condemning than that, we speak
even more vigorously against all forms of sexual abuse. Today, I speak against
verbal and emotional abuse of anyone against anyone, but especially of husbands
against wives. Brethren, these things ought not to be.
In that same spirit we speak
to the sisters as well, for the sin of verbal abuse knows no gender. Wives,
what of the unbridled tongue in your mouth, of the power for good or ill
in your words? How is it that such a lovely voice which by divine nature
is so angelic, so close to the veil, so instinctively gentle and inherently
kind could ever in a turn be so shrill, so biting, so acrid and untamed? A
woman's words can be more piercing than any dagger ever forged, and they can
drive the people they love to retreat beyond a barrier more distant than anyone
in the beginning of that exchange could ever have imagined. Sisters, there is
no place in that magnificent spirit of yours for acerbic or abrasive expression
of any kind, including gossip or backbiting or catty remarks. Let it never be
said of our home or our ward or our neighborhood that "the tongue is a
fire, a world of iniquity . . . [burning] among our
members."
May I expand this counsel to
make it a full family matter. We must be so careful in speaking to a child.
What we say or don't say, how we say it and when is so very, very important in
shaping a child's view of himself or herself. But it is even more important in
shaping that child's faith in us and their faith in God. Be constructive in
your comments to a child—always. Never tell them, even in whimsy, that they are
fat or dumb or lazy or homely. You would never do that maliciously, but they
remember and may struggle for years trying to forget—and to forgive. And try
not to compare your children, even if you think you are skillful at it. You may
say most positively that "Susan is pretty and Sandra is bright," but
all Susan will remember is that she isn't bright and Sandra that she isn't
pretty. Praise each child individually for what that child is, and help him or
her escape our culture's obsession with comparing, competing, and never feeling
we are "enough."
In all of this, I suppose it
goes without saying that negative speaking so often flows from negative
thinking, including negative thinking about ourselves. We see our own faults,
we speak—or at least think—critically of ourselves, and before long that is how
we see everyone and everything. No sunshine, no roses, no promise of hope or
happiness. Before long we and everybody around us are miserable.
I love what Elder Orson F.
Whitney once said: "The spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in
God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit
drags men down and away from God, looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains,
and is slow to yield obedience."6 We should honor the Savior's
declaration to "be of good cheer."7 (Indeed, it seems to me we may be more
guilty of breaking that commandment than almost any other!) Speak hopefully.
Speak encouragingly, including about yourself. Try not to complain and moan
incessantly. As someone once said, "Even in the golden age of civilization
someone undoubtedly grumbled that everything looked too yellow."
I have often thought that
Nephi's being bound with cords and beaten by rods must have been more tolerable
to him than listening to Laman and Lemuel's constant murmuring.8 Surely he must have said at least
once, "Hit me one more time. I can still hear you." Yes, life has its
problems, and yes, there are negative things to face, but please accept one of
Elder Holland's maxims for living—no misfortune is so bad that whining about it
won't make it worse.
Paul put it candidly, but
very hopefully. He said to all of us: "Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth, but [only] that which is good . . . [and]
edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
"And grieve not the
holy Spirit of God. . . .
"Let all bitterness,
and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from
you. . . .
"And be ye kind one to
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake
hath forgiven you."9
In his deeply moving final
testimony, Nephi calls us to "follow the Son [of God], with full purpose
of heart," promising that "after ye
have . . . received the baptism of fire and of the Holy
Ghost, [ye] can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of
angels. . . . And . . . how could ye
speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost? Angels speak by
the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ."10 Indeed, Christ was and is "the
Word," according to John the Beloved,11 full of grace and truth, full of
mercy and compassion.
So, brothers and sisters, in
this long eternal quest to be more like our Savior, may we try to be
"perfect" men and women in at least this one way now—by offending not
in word, or more positively put, by speaking with a new tongue, the tongue of
angels. Our words, like our deeds, should be filled with faith and hope and
charity, the three great Christian imperatives so desperately needed in the
world today. With such words, spoken under the influence of the Spirit, tears
can be dried, hearts can be healed, lives can be elevated, hope can return,
confidence can prevail. I pray that my words, even on this challenging subject,
will be encouraging to you, not discouraging, that you can hear in my voice
that I love you, because I do. More importantly, please know that your Father
in Heaven loves you and so does His Only Begotten Son. When They speak to
you—and They will—it will not be in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the
fire, but it will be with a voice still and small, a voice tender and kind.12 It will be with the tongue of angels.
May we all rejoice in the thought that when we say edifying, encouraging things
unto the least of these, our brethren and sisters and little ones, we say it
unto God.13 In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
NOTES
1. Lectures on Faith
(1985), 72–73; emphasis added.
2. D&C 63:64.
3. Ecclesiasticus 28:17.
4. James 3:2–10; emphasis added.
5. Matthew 15:11.
6. In Conference Report, Apr. 1917, 43.
7. Matthew 14:27; Mark 6:50; John 16:33.
8. See 1 Nephi 3:28–31; 18:11–15.
9. Ephesians 4:29–32.
10. 2 Nephi 31:13–14; 32:2–3.
11. John 1:1.
12. See 1 Kings 19:11–12.
13. See Matthew 25:40.
(John 5:29.) – The verse
that led to D&C 76. We need to do
the will of the Father if you want the highest glory in the Celestial kingdom.
29
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;
and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
(John 5:30-42.) – Christ
only does the will of the Father. Law of
witnesses: 1. Heavenly Father, 2. The
Holy Ghost, 3. John the Baptist
30 I can of mine own self
do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not
mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
31 If I bear witness of
myself, my witness is not true.
32 ¶ There is another that
beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is
true.
33 Ye sent unto John, and
he bare witness unto the truth.
34 But I receive not
testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
35 He was a burning and a
shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 ¶ But I have greater
witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me
to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath
sent me.
37 And the Father himself,
which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice
at any time, nor seen his shape.
38 And ye have not his
word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
39 ¶ Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have
eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to
me, that ye might have life.
41 I receive not honour
from men.
42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
Verse 39 –
If you search the scriptures you will find they testify of me. The Pharisees didn’t grasp His message; the
oral interpretation was enough for them.
If you had a knowledge of the scriptures that was also enough to be
saved, they missed the point, it isn’t the action
of reading but the product reading
produces that saves.
The product
is to realize who Christ is and that He is doing God’s will and we need to be
like Him and do God’s will also. We are
saved by the Atonement and what we have become.
Verse 42 –
Our motive should be to love the Lord and show this love by doing God’s
will. Our motive should not be for
blessings or out of duty as a job to do.
Christ does not seek for glory for himself.
The Challenge to
Become
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Ensign, Nov. 2000, pp. 32-34
The Apostle Paul taught that
the Lord's teachings and teachers were given that we may all attain "the
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13). This process
requires far more than acquiring knowledge. It is not even enough for us to be convinced
of the gospel; we must act and think so that we are converted by it. In
contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know
something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.
Many Bible and modern
scriptures speak of a final judgment at which all persons will be rewarded
according to their deeds or works or the desires of their hearts. But other
scriptures enlarge upon this by referring to our being judged by the condition
we have achieved.
The prophet Nephi describes
the Final Judgment in terms of what we have become: "And if their
works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be
filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God" (1
Ne. 15:33; emphasis added).
From such teachings we conclude that the Final Judgment is
not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts--what we have done.
It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts--what we
have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions.
The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of
deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus
Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires
us to become.
A parable illustrates this
understanding. A wealthy father knew that if he were to bestow his wealth upon
a child who had not yet developed the needed wisdom and stature, the
inheritance would probably be wasted. The father said to his child:
"All that I have I
desire to give you--not only my wealth, but also my position and standing among
men. That which I have I can easily give you, but that which I am
you must obtain for yourself. You will qualify for your inheritance by learning
what I have learned and by living as I have lived. I will give you the laws and
principles by which I have acquired my wisdom and stature. Follow my example,
mastering as I have mastered, and you will become as I am, and all that I have
will be yours."
This parable parallels the
pattern of heaven. The gospel of Jesus Christ promises the incomparable
inheritance of eternal life, the fulness of the Father, and reveals the laws
and principles by which it can be obtained.
We qualify for eternal life
through a process of conversion. As used here, this word of many
meanings signifies not just a convincing but a profound change of nature. Jesus
used this meaning when he taught His chief Apostle the difference between a
testimony and a conversion. Jesus asked his disciples, "Whom do men say
that I the Son of man am?" (Matt. 16:13). Next He asked, "But whom
say ye that I am?
"And Simon Peter
answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
"And Jesus answered and
said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 16:15-17).
Peter had a testimony.
He knew that Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah, and he declared it. To
testify is to know and to declare.
Later on, Jesus taught these
same men about conversion, which is far more than testimony. When the
disciples asked who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, "Jesus
called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
"And said, Verily I say
unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye
shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
"Whosoever therefore
shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom
of heaven" (Matt. 18:2-4; emphasis added).
Later, the Savior confirmed
the importance of being converted, even for those with a testimony of the
truth. In the sublime instructions given at the Last Supper, He told Simon
Peter, "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art
converted, strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:32).
In order to strengthen his
brethren--to nourish and lead the flock of God--this man who had followed Jesus
for three years, who had been given the authority of the holy apostleship, who
had been a valiant teacher and testifier of the Christian gospel, and whose
testimony had caused the Master to declare him blessed still had to be
"converted."
Jesus' challenge shows that the conversion He required for
those who would enter the kingdom of heaven (see Matt. 18:3) was far more than
just being converted to testify to the truthfulness of the gospel. To testify
is to know and to declare. The gospel challenges us to be
"converted," which requires us to do and to become. If
any of us relies solely upon our knowledge and testimony of the gospel, we are
in the same position as the blessed but still unfinished Apostles whom Jesus
challenged to be "converted." We all know someone who has a strong
testimony but does not act upon it so as to be converted. For example, returned
missionaries, are you still seeking to be converted, or are you caught up in
the ways of the world?
The needed conversion by the gospel begins with the
introductory experience the scriptures call being "born again" (e.g.,
Mosiah 27:25; Alma 5:49; John 3:7; 1 Pet. 1:23). In the waters of baptism and
by receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, we become the spiritual "sons and
daughters" of Jesus Christ, "new creatures" who can
"inherit the
In teaching the Nephites,
the Savior referred to what they must become. He challenged them to repent and
be baptized and be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, "that ye
may stand spotless before me at the last day" (3 Ne. 27:20). He concluded:
"Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even
as I am" (3 Ne. 27:27).
The gospel of Jesus Christ
is the plan by which we can become what children of God are supposed to become.
This spotless and perfected state will result from a steady succession of
covenants, ordinances, and actions, an accumulation of right choices, and from
continuing repentance. "This life is the time for men to prepare to meet
God" (
Now is the time for each of
us to work toward our personal conversion, toward becoming what our Heavenly
Father desires us to become. As we do so, we should remember that our family
relationships--even more than our Church callings--are the setting in which the
most important part of that development can occur. The conversion we must
achieve requires us to be a good husband and father or a good wife and mother.
Being a successful Church leader is not enough. Exaltation is an eternal family
experience, and it is our mortal family experiences that are best suited to
prepare us for it.
The Apostle John spoke of
what we are challenged to become when he said: "Beloved, now are we the
sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that,
when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is"
(1 Jn. 3:2; see also Moro. 7:48).
I hope the importance of
conversion and becoming will cause our local leaders to reduce their
concentration on statistical measures of actions and to focus more on what our
brothers and sisters are and what they are striving to become.
Our needed conversions are
often achieved more readily by suffering and adversity than by comfort and
tranquillity, as Elder Hales taught us so beautifully this morning. Father Lehi
promised his son Jacob that God would "consecrate [his] afflictions for
[his] gain" (2 Ne. 2:2). The Prophet Joseph was promised that "thine
adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou
endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high" (D&C 121:7-8).
Most of us experience some
measure of what the scriptures call "the furnace of affliction" (Isa.
48:10; 1 Ne. 20:10). Some are submerged in service to a disadvantaged family
member. Others suffer the death of a loved one or the loss or postponement of a
righteous goal like marriage or childbearing. Still others struggle with
personal impairments or with feelings of rejection, inadequacy, or depression.
Through the justice and mercy of a loving Father in Heaven, the refinement and
sanctification possible through such experiences can help us achieve what God
desires us to become.
We are challenged to move
through a process of conversion toward that status and condition called eternal
life. This is achieved not just by doing what is right, but by doing it for the
right reason--for the pure love of Christ. The Apostle Paul illustrated this in
his famous teaching about the importance of charity (see 1 Cor. 13). The reason
charity never fails and the reason charity is greater than even the most
significant acts of goodness he cited is that charity, "the pure love of
Christ" (Moro. 7:47), is not an act but a condition or state
of being. Charity is attained through a succession of acts that result in a
conversion. Charity is something one becomes. Thus, as
All of this helps us
understand an important meaning of the parable of the laborers in the vineyard,
which the Savior gave to explain what the kingdom of heaven is like. As you
remember, the owner of the vineyard hired laborers at different times of the
day. Some he sent into the vineyard early in the morning, others about the
third hour, and others in the sixth and ninth hours. Finally, in the eleventh
hour he sent others into the vineyard, promising that he would also pay them
"whatsoever is right" (Matt. 20:7).
At the end of the day the
owner of the vineyard gave the same wage to every worker, even to those who had
come in the eleventh hour. When those who had worked the entire day saw this,
"they murmured against the goodman of the house" (Matt. 20:11). The
owner did not yield but merely pointed out that he had done no one any wrong,
since he had paid each man the agreed amount.
Like other parables, this
one can teach several different and valuable principles. For present purposes
its lesson is that the Master's reward in the Final Judgment will not be based
on how long we have labored in the vineyard. We do not obtain our heavenly
reward by punching a time clock. What is essential is that our labors in the
workplace of the Lord have caused us to become something. For some of
us, this requires a longer time than for others. What is important in the end
is what we have become by our labors. Many who come in the eleventh hour have
been refined and prepared by the Lord in ways other than formal employment in
the vineyard. These workers are like the prepared dry mix to which it is only
necessary to "add water"--the perfecting ordinance of baptism and the
gift of the Holy Ghost. With that addition--even in the eleventh hour--these
workers are in the same state of development and qualified to receive the same
reward as those who have labored long in the vineyard.
This parable teaches us that
we should never give up hope and loving associations with family members and
friends whose fine qualities (see Moro. 7:5-14) evidence their progress toward
what a loving Father would have them become. Similarly, the power of the
Atonement and the principle of repentance show that we should never give up on
loved ones who now seem to be making many wrong choices.
Instead of being judgmental
about others, we should be concerned about ourselves. We must not give up hope.
We must not stop striving. We are children of God, and it is possible for us to
become what our Heavenly Father would have us become.
How can we measure our
progress? The scriptures suggest various ways. I will mention only two.
After King Benjamin's great
sermon, many of his hearers cried out that the Spirit of the Lord "has wrought
a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do
evil, but to do good continually" (Mosiah 5:2). If we are losing our
desire to do evil, we are progressing toward our heavenly goal.
The Apostle Paul said that
persons who have received the Spirit of God "have the mind of Christ"
(1 Cor. 2:16). I understand this to mean that persons who are proceeding toward
the needed conversion are beginning to see things as our Heavenly Father and
His Son, Jesus Christ, see them. They are hearing His voice instead of the
voice of the world, and they are doing things in His way instead of by the ways
of the world.
I testify of Jesus Christ,
our Savior and our Redeemer, whose Church this is. I testify with gratitude of
the plan of the Father under which, through the Resurrection and Atonement of
our Savior, we have the assurance of immortality and the opportunity to become
what is necessary for eternal life. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
(John 6:51-57.) – Christ
is the bread of life; He gave his soul for the kingdom. We are given the lesser portion of the word,
our faith is tested, and we won’t receive full understanding until we receive
the greater portion. Teaching to
doctrine of the Sacrament
51 I am the living bread
which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for
ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the
life of the world.
52 The Jews therefore
strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to
eat?
53 Then Jesus said unto
them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of
man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh,
and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last
day.
55 For my flesh is meat
indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my
flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father
hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall
live by me.
Come unto
Christ – If you want to be as God we need to live the life of Christ because
Christ lives by the will of the Father.
John is telling us who Christ is, he does this through the 7 “I Am’s”
John
handles the temptations of Christ in real life situations which are different
then the other gospel writers.
1. I am the Bread of Life – I do the will of the
Father, many left Him after this saying
(John 6:35.)
35
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall
never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
(John 6:48.)
48
I am that bread of life.
John's Testimony of the Bread of Life
Thomas R. Valletta, CES Area
Coordinator,
The sixth chapter of John, which
includes the Bread of Life discourse, bears powerful testimony of the divinity
of Jesus Christ. This paper suggests five main points for consideration: John's
account of events surrounding the sermon are part of his personal testimony;
the Beloved Disciple wrote with an abundance of symbolism; events in this
chapter are patterned after Exodus typology; the Bread of Life discourse can be
more fully understood within the context of the entire chapter John 6; John
takes the similitudes of the first Passover, the Exodus, and the miraculous
manna in the wilderness and blends them with the emblems of the sacrament of
the Lord's Supper in his testimony of Jesus Christ as the living bread.
The Gospel of John as Personal Testimony
The closing lines of John's Gospel
contain an inspired confirmation "that his testimony is true" (John
21:24). When the Prophet Joseph Smith translated the "Gospel of St.
John," he altered the title to the "Testimony of
What is true about John's testimony
in general specifically applies to the portrayal of events surrounding the
Bread of Life discourse—most of John 6. The sequence of other events in Jesus'
life covered in this chapter is essentially the same as the sequence used in
the synoptic Gospels (Matthew 14:13-33; Mark 6:31-52; Luke 9:10-17). John,
however, approaches the events differently. Instead, he focuses on the pattern
of events as a testimony of Jesus Christ.
John's Use of Symbolism
John is often cited for his extensive
use of symbolism. "Virtually all agree," says C. Wilfred Griggs,
"that more than one level of meaning can be found in John's writings,
ranging from the obvious 'dictionary' level of meaning to symbolic realms
understood only by those with spiritual insight." fn Symbolism is used in
scripture for varying reasons. Elder Bruce R. McConkie suggests that symbolism
is used to testify of Jesus Christ in ways that only the faithful and
spiritually primed will comprehend. He indicates that one of the many ways
scriptures testify of Christ is through the use of "types and shadows,
figures and similitudes, their purpose ofttimes being, as it were, to hide that
which is 'holy' from the 'dogs' and 'swine' of their day (Matt. 7:6), while at
the same time revealing it to those whose hearts were prepared for that light
and knowledge which leads to salvation." fn John's adept use of symbolism
underpins his purpose for writing his testimony. John's Gospel is "the
account for the saints," declares Elder McConkie. "It is
pre-eminently the gospel for the Church, for those who understand the
scriptures and their symbolisms and who are concerned with spiritual and
eternal things." fn With a scripturally based and spiritually mature
audience as his target, John could divulge his deepest emotions and declare the
most profound truths in symbolism. While the prepared Saints would perceive and
receive his message, those less prepared could still receive "the lesser
portion of the word" (
Much of John's symbolism consists of
similitudes or likenesses. fn Elder McConkie states: "To crystallize in
our minds the eternal verities which we must accept and believe to be saved, to
dramatize their true meaning and import with an impact never to be forgotten,
to center our attention on these saving truths, again and again and again, the
Lord uses similitudes. Abstract principles may easily be forgotten or their
deep meaning overlooked, but visual performances and actual experiences are
registered on the mind in such a way as never to be lost." fn Many of the
similitudes recorded in John's testimony are anchored to historical events (the
brass serpent, the manna, and so on). Others provide subtle comparisons between
the everyday and the divine. Even the casual reader can readily detect
recurrent themes of life, light, water, and night that permeate the book. John
frequently juxtaposes metaphors, as in the case of light and darkness (John 1:4-5;
3:1-20; 9:35-38, 41). An awareness and understanding of similitudes provides us
a valuable tool for digging deeper into John 6.
Typology
The symbolism of types closely
relates to the concept of similitudes. Joseph Fielding McConkie expresses a
concise and encompassing definition of types: "A person, event, or ritual
with likeness to another person, event, or ritual of greater importance which
is to followPN176,,,L,I0]The term antitype describes future fulfillment, while
typology is the study of types. True types will have noticeable points of
resemblance, show evidence of divine appointment, and be prophetic of future
events." fn This is in harmony with the perspective that types are
"divinely established models or prerepresentations of corresponding realities."
fn Typology is not the same as allegory. Unlike allegory, typology is rooted in
historical reality. fn Northrop Frye points out that while "allegory is
normally a story-myth that finds its 'true' meaning in a conceptual or
argumentative translation," typology is grounded in "real people and
real events." fn Nor are typological connections between persons or events
considered accidental or arbitrary. George S. Tate writes that typological
correspondences "constitute a significant system of intelligible
coordinates in the gradual unfolding of God's historical design." fn In
other words, typology is a form of prophetic history presuppossing that history
follows a divine pattern.
Latter-day Saints should easily grasp
the concept of typology. Modern scripture declares that "all things have
their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record" of
Jesus Christ (Moses 6:63). The Book of Mormon emphatically announces that
"all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world,
unto man, are the typifying of him [Jesus Christ]" (2 Nephi 11:4; cf.
Mosiah 3:15; 13:10, 31;
John and Exodus Typology
Many instances of typology in John's
testimony relate to the Exodus story. The exodus of
John's Gospel contains an
extraordinary number of Exodus images. fn Several examples reveal John's
obvious consciousness of Exodus themes: The Baptist's reference to the Savior
as "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John
1:29) points to the type of the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:5; 12:21). The
Savior's own attestation of himself as the "living water" establishes
a connection with the provision of water for a thirsty and grumbling
The examples given above disclose
both the source and the interpretive framework of John's typology. Jesus Christ
was the originator as well as the fulfillment of the typology recorded in
John's testimony. John heard the Savior bear witness that the scriptures
"testify of me" (John 5:39). As he observed the Master teach, he
realized how the scriptures testified of Jesus Christ. John heard Jesus
emphatically declare himself to be Jehovah, the very God of Abraham and Moses
(Exodus 3:14; John 8:58). The Beloved Disciple comprehended the implications of
this truth and could announce: "The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made which was
made" (JST John 1:2-3). John knew that Jesus Christ, as the creator, the
messenger of salvation, and the Redeemer, is not merely involved in our life's
story; he is the life story (JST John 1:1-5; John 11:25; D&C 93:8).
John's use of typology presumes, first, that though man's natural eyes cannot
often comprehend it, there is a divine design in history (D&C 58:3-4); and
second, that sacred events transcend their mere historical occurrence by
typifying Christ and his plan of salvation.
John 6 and Exodus Typology
John 6 contains a systematically
developed Exodus theme with Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of its typology.
When examined from a larger perspective, this section of John's testimony
clearly shadows the Exodus type. The chart below shows major parallels between
the Exodus events and the sequence of John 6. In both cases, a multitude
follows a prophet to a place where they are fed miraculously, a deliverance
through the sea to safety is miraculously performed; doubt, murmuring, and
sign-seeking are rebuked by an exhortation to learn the deeper lessons of what
has occurred; and prophets subsequently testify to the reality and meaning of
the events.
General Pattern Exodus of
Multitude follows Jesus to the other
side of the
The great company is miraculously fed
from the five loaves and two fishes (John 6:5-15).
The power of God saves
The disciples fighting the stormy sea
are rescued as Jesus walks on the sea to their ship (John 6:16-21).
Discourse from Jehovah on the meaning
and significance of the Exodus experience (Exodus 19-20).
Discourse on the meaning and
significance of the Bread of Life (John 6:48John 6:22-65).
Testimony of prophets concerning the
significance of the Exodus experience (Exodus 14:31; 15:1-22; Numbers 20:12;
Deuteronomy 4:33, 35; Deuteronomy 6; Deuteronomy 26: 5-9; Isaiah 51, 52; 2
Nephi 25:20; 1 Nephi 17).
Peter's testimony that Jesus has the
"words of eternal life" (John 6:66-71).
Truly John has caught the spiritual
significance of these sacred events. Experiences in this chapter correlate with
the Exodus typology, and both sets of sacred events typify salvation through
Jesus Christ. In typology, the antitype need not correspond "to the type
in all its properties, so as to form an almost photographic copy of it."
fn John does, however, incorporate many corresponding symbols that draw
attention to the motif. Some of these specific correspondences are identified
as follows:
Specific Images and Details
Exodus of Ancient
Moses at the "
Jesus goes into the mountain (John
6:3, 15).
Jehovah multiplies signs and wonders
(Exodus 7-11).
People follow because of signs (John
6:2, 26, 30).
Passover instituted by the Lord
(Exodus 12).
Passover (John 6:4).
Multitude led by God through the way
of the wilderness by the
Multitude follows Jesus across the
Manna (Exodus 16; Numbers 11;
Deuteronomy 8).
Manna (John 6:31, 49, 58).
Manna compared with bread (Exodus
16:15).
Bread (John 6:7, 23).
Manna called bread from heaven
(Exodus 16:3-4).
Bread from heaven (John 6:31-35, 41,
John 6:4848, 50-51, 58).
Gathered according to eating (Exodus
16:16-21).
Gathered fragments; nothing lost
(John 6:12).
Prophet like unto Moses (Deuteronomy
18:15-18).
That prophet (John 6:14).
Murmuring (Exodus 15:24; 16:8; 17:3).
Murmuring (John 6:43, 61).
Twelve tribes (Exodus 3:10; 28:21;
Numbers 1:44; 34:18; Deuteronomy 13:1).
Twelve baskets; twelve disciples
(John 6:12, 13).
Crossing the sea (Exodus 14-15;
Joshua 3).
Crossing the sea (John 6:16-21).
Crossing occurred at night (Exodus 14:21).
Crossing at night (John 6:16).
Darkness emphasized (Exodus 14:20).
Darkness emphasized (John 6:17).
East wind (Exodus 14:21).
Great wind (John 6:18).
I AM (Exodus 3:14).
It is I (John 6:20).
Lord saved
Immediately the ship reaches land
(John 6:21).
Unveiling connections between
typological events stimulates the mind and spirit, but it does not go far
enough toward helping us gain scriptural understanding, for developing an
analytical framework is worthless without an application. We might go beyond
the simple correlations and examine the meaning of these similitudes. As
previously noted, all things in the scriptures bear record of and typify Jesus
Christ (Moses 6:63; 2 Nephi 11:4), and John writes his book with this same
purpose (John 20:31). John quotes the Lord several times in chapter 6
declaring, "I am the bread of life." The multiplication of loaves and
fishes, the crossing of the sea, and the manna discourse all reveal that Jesus
Christ is our hope for salvation. Once we understand the purpose of John 6 and
identify the Exodus theme, we must examine how these things testify of the
Lord. We will pay particular attention to how John weaves together the events
of his day with the symbols of the Exodus and the emblems of the sacrament of
the Lord's Supper to typify Jesus Christ.
The Multitude Follows Jesus
The first four verses of John 6
introduce the setting for the subsequent events, as well as offer the first
reflection of Exodus typology. John effectively sets this chapter apart from
the preceding and subsequent chapters with the use of the phrase "after
these things" in the first verse of chapter 6 and again in the beginning
of chapter 7. fn John's narrative indicates that a great multitude followed
Jesus across the
The Exodus pattern may be found in
similar stories of wanderers being led through a strange land, a lone and
dreary world where tests and trials occur. Hugh Nibley explains: "Now the
idea that this life is a pilgrimage through the desert did not originate with
the Christians or even the Jews: it has been the religious memory of the human
race from the earliest dispensations of the Gospel." fn Another scholar of
antiquity suggests that, in the ancient view, "the desert is the world one
passes through. It is nothing in itself, it is barren and inhospitable. It is
not meant for people to remain in. One travels through the wilderness as one
travels through time. Just like time, so does the desert lead to a new world,
to the promised land." fn
Crossing the Sea
A crucial episode of John's chapter 6
narrative is the crossing of the sea. While the other Gospel writers fix this
event closely to feeding the five thousand, John sets it off distinctively. It
functions as a literal centerpiece, a hinge for the whole chapter. John's focus
on the images of the night (v. 16), darkness (v. 17), and the wind (v. 18)
emphasize the sea crossing as an Exodus reenaction.
John paints a stirring depiction of
people in trouble. His record speaks of the darkness of the night, "and
Jesus was not come to them" (v. 17). As Jesus communes with Heavenly
Father from the mountain (v. 16), "He [sees] the peril and strugglings of
his beloved friends as they [seek] the safety of the western shore of the Galilean
lake. They [are] seabound because he had 'constrained' them so to travel. . . .
His awareness of their plight must have come by the power of the Spirit rather
than the natural eye." fn As their predicament worsens from "a great
wind that blew" (v. 18), Jesus miraculously walks toward the boat on
water. The disciples grow afraid (v. 19), but their fears subside with Jesus'
simple yet profound assurance: "It is I; be not afraid" (v. 20).
Unlike the synoptic writers, John focuses not on the calming of the sea nor on
Peter's attempt to walk upon the sea but on safe passage through the sea and
the emphasis of the divine name. " 'It is I' evokes remembrance of the
passage through the sea in Exodus 14 and recalls to the reader's mind such
poetic interpretations of that event as Ps 77:19, which says of Yahweh, 'Thy
way was through the sea, thy path through the great waters'; and Ps 29:3, which
speaks of 'the voice of the Lord . . . upon the waters.' " fn In ancient
lore, crossing the great waters evokes images of traveling through time or life
and traversing from old to new worlds. The story of Noah escaping the
destructive floods was thought to teach more than history. Noah and his family
survived because of the divinely designed ark.
The episode of Joshua's crossing the
Jordan River into the promised land (Joshua 1-4) carries much of the same
symbolism as the crossing of the Red Sea and the crossing of the
The Image of Bread
Much of John 6 focuses on the
symbolism of bread and manna. After Jesus feeds the five thousand, the
multitude attempts to take him by force and make him their king, causing Jesus
to depart alone to a mountain (vv. 14-15). The next day the people finally
locate Jesus in
The Lord speaks to the multitude
about eternal aspects of bread instead of the temporal aspects. The people
claim that Moses gave them "bread from heaven to eat" (John 6:31).
Jesus corrects them, "Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father
giveth you the true bread from heaven" (v. 32). Then he articulates his
preeminent point: "The bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven,
and giveth life unto the world" (v. 33). The manna of Moses' time is a
type of the true bread given of the Father, which is none other than the Son of
God. To their request for bread, Jesus unambiguously announces, "I am the
bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth
on me shall never thirst" (v. 35). The counterpart images of hunger and
thirst are more than rhetorical embellishment; they draw upon the Exodus
typology that joined the gift of manna and the gift of water from the rock. fn
The Jews murmur at that bold
declaration. They claim that Jesus is no more that the son of Joseph and Mary,
whom they well know (v. 42). Their murmuring likewise follows the Exodus motif.
Jesus answers by proclaiming, "No man can come unto me, except he doeth
the will of my Father, who hath sent me. And this is the will of him who hath
sent me, that ye receive the Son; for the Father beareth record of him; And he
who receiveth the testimony, and doeth the will of him who sent me, I will
raise up in the resurrection of the just" (JST John 6:44). That is
startling news to people committed more to temporal survival and political
intrigue than to everlasting life. The Lord reminds them that their
"fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead" (John 6:49)
He points out the only way to continue to live: "This is the bread which
cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the
living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he
shall live for ever" (vv. 50-51).
Jesus continues his use of
similitudes by adding, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and
drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my
blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh
is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and
drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him" (vv. 53-56). If taken
literally, these words would repulse his Jewish audience. The thought of
drinking human blood is altogether abhorrent (Leviticus 17:10-14; cf. Acts
15:29). Even the idea of attaining eternal life by eating human flesh is a
shocking notion to his Hellenistic public. fn But clearly Jesus is not speaking
literally, as the context of the discourse reveals. James E. Talmage explains,
"There was little excuse for the Jews pretending to understand that our
Lord meant an actual eating and drinking of His material flesh and blood. The
utterances to which they objected were far more readily understood by them than
they are by us on first reading; for the representation of the law and of truth
in general as bread, and the acceptance thereof as a process of eating and
drinking, were figures in everyday use by the rabbis of that time. Their
failure to comprehend the symbolism of Christ's doctrine was an act of will,
not the natural consequence of innocent ignorance." fn
Now in the Bread of Life discourse,
the themes of Exodus manna, the unleavened bread of the Passover, the
miraculous feeding of the five thousand, and the emblems of the sacrament of
the Lord's Supper are woven together in a marvelous way. In each similitude, the
bread is provided by God. The bread is not earned but is critical for survival.
The preparation and conditions of feeding are only on the Lord's terms. These
similitudes also teach how the bread of life can be consumed. Latter-day Saints
readily comprehend the symbolism of partaking of "the emblems of the flesh
and blood of Christ" (D&C 20:40). For this reason, the Church is
commanded to "meet together often to partake of bread and wine in the
remembrance of the Lord" (D&C 20:75). Elder McConkie explains,
"To eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God is, first, to
accept him in the most literal and full sense, with no reservation whatever, as
the personal offspring in the flesh of the Eternal Father; and, secondly, it is
to keep the commandments of the Son by accepting his gospel, joining his
Church, and enduring in obedience and righteousness unto the end." fn
Those who abide these conditions receive the promise of eternal life. That is
the essence of what Paul teaches, referring to those who "did all eat the
same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank
of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ" (1
Corinthians 10:3-4).
As Jesus finishes his sermon, many
are offended by his "hard" teaching (John 6:60). He perceives their
thoughts and asks, "What if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he
was before?" (v. 62). Jesus knows their spiritual blindness and tries to
help them see: "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing:
the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (v.
63). Like the ancient Israelites, the Lord's audience thought in terms of the
flesh (Exodus 16:3). Yet, the Savior's truths can only be understood by the
Spirit, as Paul asserts, "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save
the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man,
but the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:11).
Conclusion
The Bread of Life discourse should be
studied in the context of the entire sixth chapter of John. Through the use of
similitudes, types, and shadows, John bears powerful testimony concerning the
divinity of Jesus Christ and the need for mankind to depend on their Lord. The
events precipitating the discourse on the bread of life are patterned after
Exodus themes. Each scene presented in John 6 portrays Jesus as the way of
salvation. The imagery of feeding the five thousand, the crossing of the sea,
and the Bread of Life discourse all interlock to form a collage of the Savior. The
Exodus pattern and the sacred events of this part of Jesus' Galilean ministry
coalesce with images of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper in typifying Jesus
as the central figure in sacred history. The actual sermon becomes more
understandable and powerful as we see how and why Jesus fused ancient and
contemporary symbols to testify of himself.
Footnotes
1. Joseph Smith, Jr., Inspired
Version: The Holy Scriptures, A New Corrected Edition (Independence, Mo.:
Herald Publishing House, 1971), p. 1207.
2. S. Kent Brown, "The Four
Gospels as Testimonies," The Eleventh Annual Sidney B. Sperry
Symposium,
3. Ibid.
4. C. Wilfred Griggs, "The
Apostle John and Christian History," The Sixth Annual Sidney B. Sperry
Symposium,
5. Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised
Messiah: The First Coming of Christ (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book
Co., 1978), pp. 43-44.
6. Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1965),
1:65.
7. Thomas F. Rogers, "The Gospel
of John as Literature,"
8. This paper uses the term similitudes
according to its definition in the Oxford English Dictionary, 2d ed.:
"A person or thing resembling, or having the likeness of, some other
person or thing; a counterpart or equal; a similarity." Similitudes,
defined in this sense, can include metaphors, similies, allegories, parables,
types, and other forms of symbolism" (
9. McConkie, The Promised Messiah,
p. 377.
10. Joseph Fielding McConkie, Gospel
Symbolism (Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1985), p. 274.
11. Walther Eichrodt, "Is Typological
Exegesis an Appropriate Method?" in Essays on Old Testament
Hermeneutics, ed. C. Westermann (Richmond, Va.: John Knox Press, 1963), p.
225.
12. Ibid., p. 227.
13. Northrop Frye, The Great Code:
The Bible and Literature (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982), p.
84.
14. George S. Tate, "The
Typology of the Exodus Pattern in the Book of Mormon," in Literature of
Belief, ed. Neal E. Lambert (Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, Brigham
Young University, 1981), p. 247.
15. Ibid., p. 248.
16. Hugh Nibley, An Approach to
the Book of Mormon, 2d ed. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah: Deseret Book Co.,
1976), p. 116.
17. S. Kent Brown, "The Exodus:
Seeing It As a Test, a Testimony, and a Type," Ensign, Feb. 1990,
p. 2.; Frye, The Great Code; Tate, "Typology of the Exodus
Pattern," pp. 245-62.
18. Raymond E. Brown, The Gospel
According to John (I-XII), Anchor Bible, ed. W. F. Albright and D. N.
Freedman (New York: Doubleday, 1966), p. lx.
19. Tate, "The Typology of the
Exodus Pattern," p. 256.
20. James Plastaras, The God of
Exodus: The Theology of the Exodus Narratives (Milwaukee, Wis.: Bruce
Publishing, 1966), p. 325.
21. J. J. Enz, "The Book of
Exodus As a Literary Type for the Gospel of John," Journal of Biblical
Literature, 76 (1957): 208-15. Robert Smith, "Exodus Typology in the
Fourth Gospel," Journal of Biblical Literature, 81 (1962): 329-42.
22. Eichrodt, "Is Typological
Exegesis an Appropriate Method?" p. 225.
23. Brown, The Gospel According to
John (I-XII), pp. 235-36. Theories of rearrangement have been based upon
these verses. The most common suggestion is to reverse chapters 5 and 6. At the
end of chapter 4 Jesus is in Cana in
There are several problems with the
rearrangement theories. One difficulty, already alluded to, is that these
theories generally go beyond what the text actually says. Another formidable
objection is that there is no early manuscript or textual evidence supporting
their suggested order. Additionally, most of the criticism of the current
arrangement is based upon the presumption that John's purpose was to set forth a
chronological narrative of events. That was probably not the case. Brown sums
up the situation by stating, "No rearrangement can solve all the
geographical and chronological problems in John, and to rearrange on the basis
of geography and chronology is to give undue emphasis to something that does
not seem to have been of major importance to the evangelist."
24. Nibley, An Approach to the
Book of Mormon, p. 116.
25. Friedrich Weinreb, Roots of
the Bible: An Ancient View for a New Outlook, (Braunton, Great Britain:
Merlin Books, Ltd., 1986), p. 125.
26. Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal
Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret
Book Co., 1980), 2:358.
27. Peter F. Ellis, The Genius of
John (Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 1984), pp. 110-11.
28. Weinreb, Roots of the Bible,
p. 246.
29. This concept was also prevalent
among the ancient Nephites. See, for example,
30. Weinreb, Roots of the Bible,
p. 248.
31. Ibid., p. 247.
32. One is immediately struck, however,
with the differences in the accounts. The Red Sea crossing included the whole
company of
33. The Illustrated Bible
Dictionary (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 1980), 2:816.
34. McConkie, Mortal Messiah,
2:368. Raymond Brown also cites these traditions and concludes, "The
expectation grew that the Messiah would come on Passover, and that the manna
would begin to fall again on Passover." See Brown, Gospel According to
John (I-XII), pp. 265-66.
35. Rudolf Schnackenburg, The
Gospel According to St. John, 2 vols. (New York: Seabury Press, 1980),
2:44.
36. James D. G. Dunn, "John VI—A
Eucharistic Discourse?" New Testament Studies 17 (1971): 330.
37. James E. Talmage, Jesus the
Christ (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co. , 1967), p. 342.
38. As quoted in McConkie, Mortal
Messiah, 2:379.
(Bruce A.
Van Orden and Brent L. Top, eds., The Lord of the Gospels: The 1990 Sperry
Symposium on the New Testament [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1991], 173.)
We keep the
law of tithing to build up the kingdom not to receive blessings because we obey;
Christ does not do God’s will to receive blessings from Him.
John 18 –
John mainly focuses on the betrayal of Christ, he doesn’t discuss
(John 18:5.) – Christ gave
his life voluntarily; no one could take it from Him.
5
They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he.
And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
John 7 –
Christ offers living water. When Christ
returns He will bring living water and light to the entire world. The 4 Candelabras represent the 4 corners of
the world (geographic completeness)
John 8:1-11
– The woman taken in adultery, Christ isn’t here to condemn but to save, yet He
makes it clear she must repent and sin no more.
She has been living in darkness and now comes into the light. Christ is the judge of all.
John 9:6-7
– The blind man is healed by Christ, he is the light of the world.
John 7-9 in Light
of the Feast of Tabernacles
Bruce Satterfield
Department of Religious Education,
Brigham Young University - Idaho
[Publised in The
Testimony of John the Beloved: the 1998 Sperry Symposium on the New Testament.
One of several themes woven
through the gospel of John is that Christ is the fulfilment of ancient
The Feast of Tabernacles was
one of the three feasts commanded by the Lord that all males should annually
attend (Ex. 23:17; 34:23) and what Josephus calls the "most holy and most
eminent" of the three feasts of the Hebrews.(1)
Understanding how Christ was the fulfilment of this most important feast is
intimately connected with the feast itself. However, as is often the case in
scripture, John assumes the reader is already aware of the activities
associated with the Feast of Tabernacles and therefore no details of the feast
are given. John only tells of the movements and sayings of Christ in connection
with the feast. But as Raymond Brown has said, in order to understand what the
Savior said during John 7-9 "one must have an intimate knowledge of the
celebration of the Tabernacles."(2)
The focus of the following
pages will be to provide that "intimate knowledge" of the Feast of
Tabernacles that Brown spoke of in order to reveal how that sacred time was
meant to be a type and shadow of the Savior. To arrive at this, the feast will
be examined through both Biblical and Rabbinical sources. It will then be
possible to examine John 7-9 in light of the Feast of Tabernacles background
noting the impact of Jesus' sayings upon his listeners.
The Feast of Tabernacles
background has already been the subject of scholarly discussion (mainly
non-LDS). However, it is felt that many in the LDS community are not familiar
with or do not have access to this essential background. Therefore, it seems
appropriate that this information be made available to them.
Sources
There are two major sources
available that aid our understanding of how the Feast of Tabernacles was
practiced during the second temple period: (1) Biblical, (2) Rabbinical or
Jewish writings. Biblical legislation regarding the feast are found in the five
books of Moses (Ex. 23:14-17; 34:22,23; Leviticus 23:33-44; Numbers 29:12-40;
Deuteronomy 16:13-17), and Nehemiah (8:13-18). Added to the Biblical
legislation are various descriptions of the Feast of Tabernacles found in
Rabbinical writings. These are important to consider because by the time of
Christ there were several additional developments that had become part of the
activities associated with the feast. Familiarity with these developments is
essential in understanding John 7-9. Our only source for these additional
activities are found in the Rabbinical writings. Chief among these writings is
the legislation found in the Mishnah and Talmud.(3)
Though these regulations were codified years after the destruction of the
second temple and present an idealized picture of the customs associated with
the Feast of Tabernacles, much of what the Rabbis have said still seems to be
applicable.
Feast of Tabernacles, One
of Three
After the children of
The central activities of
the feasts were located in the
Against [the] background of
daily, weekly and monthly worship, the great annual feasts stood out in relief.
The general word for a 'feast' is mo'ed: the term means a fixed place or
a fixed time--a rendezvous--and the desert Tent was called 'ohel mo'ed
or 'The Tent of Meeting'. Thus the word came to mean a meeting or an assembly,
and finally an assembly or meeting to celebrate a feast.(5)
Though the Lord commanded
that all males should come to the temple during these three feasts, it appears
that at least during the second temple period, often the whole family
participated in the worship associated with the feasts (see Luke 2:41-50).
In light of how modern
temples are used, it seems clear that these feasts were intended to be teaching
experiences in which
Feast of Tabernacle Customs
Length of the Feast
From Leviticus (23:33-44),
we learn that the feast was to be held for seven days. The first day was to be
a "holy convocation"; the Hebrew is mikra kodesh which means a
holy summons. "It stresses the summons to an assembly where Israel, in a
state of special holiness, is called to fulfil its sacred functions. Holy
convocations were central aspects of each of the three great Feasts and the Day
of Atonement. They were days of rest, like the sabbath, and in later times were
known as sabbaths."(8)
An additional "holy convocation" was to be called after the seven
days were complete making the feast a total of eight days.(9)
The eighth day was referred to as the "great day of the feast" (John
7:37).
Dwelling in Booths
We are also told in
Leviticus that the Israelites were to build booths or small huts outside of
their houses. During the seven days of the feast they were to live in the
booths so that their "generations may know that I made the children of
Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt"
(Lev. 23:43). It is from these booths (the Hebrew is Sukkoth) that the
Feast of Tabernacles receives its name. These booths were to remind Israel that
their forefathers lived in tents during the wilderness journey and did so until
they came into the promised land where they dwelt in permanent houses. Living
in booths may have also reminded Israel that mortality is not the final and
permanent resting place for mankind. Just as Israel was brought to a promised
land for a permanent home, God's children will be brought into their final
resting place only during the millennial reign of the Messiah.
The booths were generally of
modest size, at least three walls and roof, and had to be outside. They could
be placed in a courtyard or on the roof of a house.(10)
In Nehemiah 8:16, we are told that when the Feast of Tabernacles was
reinstituted after the return of the Jews from Babylonian exile, the Jews set
up their booths in a number of different places: "every one upon the roof
of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and
in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of
Ephraim." Rabbinical writings tell us that those traveling some distances
were exempt from living in booths if they so desired (see Talmud Sukkah 26a).
Water Drawing Ceremony
A statement made by Rabbi
Joshua ben Hanania in the Talmud regarding the Feast of Tabernacles states:
"The first hour was
occupied with the daily morning sacrifice; from there we proceeded to prayers;
from there we proceeded to the additional sacrifice, then the prayers to the
additional sacrifice, then to the House of Study, then the eating and drinking,
then the afternoon prayer, then the daily evening sacrifice, and after that the
Rejoicing at the place of the Water-Drawing all night." (Talmud Sukkah
53a.)
In this description, the
order of events of an average day during the Feast of Tabernacles is revealed,
albeit incomplete, as will now be shown.
The day began with the
normal daily morning burnt offering. However, during the Feast of Tabernacles a
rite was added to the daily burnt offering called the water-drawing ceremony.
During the preparation of the burnt offering,(11)
a procession of priests with the accompaniment of flute playing and singing
wended their way from the temple down to the Pool of Siloam where a priest
filled a golden flask with water while a choir repeated Isa. 12:3: "with
joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (see Mishnah Sukkah
4:9; 5:1; Talmud Sukkah 48b). The Pool of Siloam was a collecting pool for the
spring Gihon, the major water supply for Jerusalem. The Jews referred to water
from springs or streams fit for drinking as "living water." Living
water was considered the most superior form of water for ritual purification.(12)
The priests returned to the
temple via the Water Gate, a gate on the south side of the wall immediately
surrounding the temple within the court of Gentiles.(13)
Arriving at the Water Gate a blast was made on a shofar, the Hebrew word
for ram's horn. The shofar was a signaling instrument used to announce
major events such as the beginning of the Sabbath, new moons, the death of a
notable, or warned of approaching danger. In this case, the shofar
announced the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles which began with the
water-drawing ceremony.
When the procession of
priests and Levites returned from the pool of Siloam, they were met by pilgrims
who had come to the Temple Mount. Each pilgrim brought with them a lulab,
which consisted of a tree branch in one hand and a citron in the other (Mishnah
3:1-7). The lulab was to be waved while the morning sacrifice was being
offered with the special water libation. The waving of the lulab was a
Biblical injunction: "And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of
goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and
willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven
days" (Leviticus 23:40).
Upon the blasting of the shofar,
the group moved towards the altar of sacrifice located in the Court of the
Priests which surrounded the temple. The priest with the golden flask filled
with water ascended the altar and prepared to pour the libation on the morning
burnt offering. While doing this, the procession that had followed the priest
would circle the altar.
It appears that pilgrims
joined in with the priests who were circling the altar.(14)
However, this is a matter of debate. George MacRae seems to suggest that this
procession was of priests alone.(16)
But an incident mentioned in the Mishnah may suggest otherwise. Mishnah Sukkah
4:9 tells us that after the water was poured into the Silver Bowl, it was said
to the officiating priest: "Raise thy hand!" The reason for saying
this was that "on one occasion [a Sadducean priest] poured over his
feet" the water (for the Sadducees did not hold to this tradition). This so
outraged the pilgrims that "all the people pelted him with their
citrons." This suggests that if the pilgrims were not in the procession
itself they were at least close enough for them to be able to pelt the priest.
The only logical places would be the court of the priests itself or perhaps in
the court of the Israelites though the latter seems less likely due to its
size.(17)
Whether walking around the
altar or observing the procession, the following was said by the pilgrims while
waving(18)
their lulabs: "We beseech Thee, O Eternal, save us, we pray"
(Mishnah Sukkah 3:9; see also 4:5). The priest who had charge of pouring the
water then offered the water libation with a wine libation into two silver
bowls on the south-west corner of the altar.
The water-drawing ceremony
proceeded in this manner every day of the feast except on the seventh day when
the priests (and pilgrims?) circled the altar seven times instead of just once
(Mishnah Sukkah 4:5). The circumambulation of the altar seven times ended the
water-drawing ritual. It was not performed on the eighth day (Mishnah Sukkah 4:1,
5),(19)
though it appears that a prayer for rain was given on the eighth day (Talmud
Taanith 2a-3a).
The Lighting Ceremony
According to the chronicle
outlined by Rabbi Joshua ben Hanania quoted earlier, following the
water-drawing ceremony there was an "additional sacrifice." According
to Numbers 29:12-40, in addition to the daily morning and evening burnt
offering required by the law of Moses,(20)
there were additional sacrifices to be made during the Feast of Tabernacles. On
the first day of the feast there was to be offered 13 young bullocks, 2 rams,
14 lambs of the first year, and one kid for a sin offering. On the second day
of the feast, there was to be offered the same offerings except instead of 13
young bullocks there was only to be offered 12. On the third day the offerings
were again the same with the exception of the bullocks. Only 11 were offered.
This declination of bullocks continued until the seventh day when 7 bullocks
were offered (the other sacrifices remaining the same). Then a change occurred
on the eighth day. One bullock was offered with one ram, seven lambs and one
kid for a sin offering. The account concludes with this injunction: "These
things ye shall do unto the Lord in your set feast, beside your vows, and your
freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and
for your drink offerings and for your peace offerings."
Upon the conclusion of the
"additional sacrifice," the pilgrims would have opportunity to
present their individual offerings, such as expressing personal devotion to God
(through the burnt offering) or those associated with the cleansing of severe
impurities (through the sin offering). This was a time of great rejoicing and
singing including the singing of the complete Hallel or Psalms 113-118 (Mishnah
Sukkah 4:8).(21)
When the personal offerings were completed, the afternoon burnt offering was
performed.(22)
Normally, upon the
conclusion of the afternoon burnt offering, probably around sunset, the gates
of the temple would be closed.(23)
However on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles the gates were left opened
so that all might participate in the final rite of the day, the lighting
ceremony. This occasion proved to be a most joyous and festive observance. From
the Mishnah (Sukkah 5:2-3) we are told that "At the close of the first
Holyday" the priests would descend from the Court of the Israelites to the
Court of Women.(24)
In the court four huge candelabra were placed, each "with four golden
bowls at their tops and four ladders to each one." Each candelabra were
fifty cubits in height. Wicks made "from the worn-out drawers and girdles
of the priests" were placed in each bowl and lit. It is said that
"there was no courtyard in Jerusalem that was not lit up with the light"
which came from these candelabras.
The rest of the night was
spent in joyous activities in the Court of Women. Mishnah Sukkah 5:4 says:
Pious men and men of good
deeds used to dance before them (the candelabra) with burning torches in their
hands and sang before them songs and praises. And the Levites on harps, and on
lyres, and with cymbals, and with trumpets and with other instruments of music
without number upon the fifteen steps leading down from the court of the
Israelites to the Women's Court, corresponding to the Fifteen Songs of Ascent
in the Psalms [Psalms 120-134]; upon them the Levites used to stand with
musical instruments and sing hymns.
The festivities surrounding
the illumination rite concluded the festival day. However, it is not clear whether
or not the illumination rite was done every night, or whether the lights simply
remained lit during the whole feast.
The Messianic Nature of
the Feast
Both the water drawing
ceremony and the lighting of the candelabra were additional aspects of the
feast not found in Biblical legislation.(25)
Nevertheless, they had apparently become part of the ceremonies of the feast to
portray the future messianic age. We learn this from the fact that as part of
the ceremonies associated with the Feast of Tabernacles, Zechariah 14, a
messianic chapter, was read to all the people. Talmud Megillah 31a says:
"On the first day of Tabernacles we read the section of the festivals in Leviticus,
and for haftarah [a section from the prophetic books recited after the
reading from the Pentateuch on Sabbaths and Holy-days], Behold a day cometh
for the Lord (Zech.14)."
What is the connection
between Zechariah 14 and the Feast of Tabernacles? Chapter fourteen describes
the time when "the day of the Lord cometh." At a time when "all
nations" have gathered against Jerusalem, the Lord will return and save
his people by standing upon the Mount of Olives which shall "cleave in the
midst thereof toward the east and the toward the west" providing a way to
escape through the valley created. Having saved his people, the Lord insists
that "every one that is left of all the nations which came against
Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of
hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles" (vs. 16). Failure to keep
this command would result in the rains failing (see vs.s 17-19). This is the
first Biblical association of rain with the festival. But as George MacRae has
said, "the fact that it was celebrated at the end of the harvest and
immediately before the autumnal rainy season, we can well imagine that the
petition for rain is as old as the feast itself."(26)
With the coming of the Lord,
the messianic age is inaugurated. Zechariah points out two important aspects
associated with the messianic age. The first is perpetual light. In Zechariah
14:6-7, describing the day when the Lord comes, it says: "And it shall
come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: but it
shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it
shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light." The second
characteristic of the messianic age is akin to rain, that of water. Zechariah
says: "And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from
Jerusalem" (Zech. 14:8).(27)
It seems safe to assume that by the reading of Zechariah 14 during the feast
the application of these messianic features to the Feast of Tabernacles was
commonplace among the people.
From the foregoing, it is
possible to see that the two features of the messianic age described by
Zechariah in chapter 14 were made an important part of the Feast of Tabernacles
ceremonies. The water-drawing ceremony is the compliment of the living water
flowing from Jerusalem in 14:8. The lighting of the huge candelabra is the
symbolic counterpart of the continuous day found in 14:6-7.
Zechariah 14 gives us
further insight into the meaning of the lighting ceremony. When the Messiah
comes, inaugurating the messianic age, he will be the light of all the world,
not just the Jews. This is perhaps why four candelabra were used in the
lighting ceremony. Four is often a symbolic number representing geographical
completeness. This is because their are four corners of the world. Thus, the
lighting of the four candelabra would have symbolized that light would be given
to all the world through the coming Messiah. This would have been
emphasized further by the fact that each candelabra had four bowls.(28)
JESUS AND THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
Jesus and the Living
Waters
It is in this setting that
we find Jesus in John 7-9. We are told in John 7:14 that Jesus arrived midway
through the feast.(29)
His first few days at the temple were filled with confrontations concerning the
authority of his teachings (John 7: 15-36). Then on "the last day, that
great day of the feast," Jesus "stood" and issued this challenge:
"If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on
me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living
water" (John 7:37-38). Then John added, "But this spake he of the
Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive" (John 7:39). That
is, the Holy Ghost which is given to those who come unto Christ brings life to
their souls.
The impact of this challenge
is lost unless one understands the water-drawing ceremony of the Feast of
Tabernacles as described in these pages. Having daily drawn water from the Pool
of Siloam, then pouring it on the morning offering while shouting, "Save
us Lord," the absence of the water-drawing ceremony on the eighth day
would have been profound. Hence, on the day when living water was not drawn
from the spring, and only a prayer for rain was offered--a day that perhaps
symbolized Israel's dependence upon God for water that sustains life--the
Savior declared that if any thirst, they should come to him for living
waters. However, the water he offered was not for physical but spiritual
survival. His water was the cleansing and sustaining influence of the Holy
Ghost necessary for the salvation of the souls of mankind. Interestingly
enough, the Jerusalem Talmud(30)
states that the Jews understood the water drawing ceremony to be symbolic of
the Holy Ghost: "Why is the name of it called, The drawing out of water?
Because of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, according to what is said: 'With
joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.'"(31)
Thus the prayers of the priests and pilgrims attending the Feast of Tabernacles
had been answered . . .but not in the way they had expected!(32)
Jesus is the Light of the
World
On the day following the
Savior's challenge to come to him for living water, the Savior was once again
at the temple teaching. While in the Court of Women,(33)
the Savior declared to the multitude, "I am the light of the world: he
that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of
life" (John 8:12). Could there be any doubt in the minds of his listeners
as to what he was claiming? In the very place where the huge candelabras were
lit giving light to "every courtyard in Jerusalem," symbolizing the
continuous light given to all the world during the messianic age, Jesus
proclaimed that he was that light.(34)
Not only the light of Jerusalem, but of all the world. Even Jewish tradition
held that God gives man light.(35)
It is obvious that he was claiming to be the Messiah in their own hearing.
To give credence to His
claim, the Savior demonstrated his power to give light to the world through a
miracle that is recorded only by John. In John 9:1-7, the story of a man born
blind follows on the heals of the Feast of the Tabernacles. The story begins
when Jesus "saw a man which was blind from his birth." When asked
why, the Savior responded "that the works of God should be made manifest
in him." Then he said, "I must work the works of him that sent me,
while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the
world, I am the light of the world." Upon that "he spat on the
ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man
with the clay, and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam." The man
did exactly what he was told. After he had washed his eyes in the same pool
that the priest had drawn water as part of the water drawing ceremony of the
Feast of Tabernacles, he came out seeing.
Two major symbols of the
Feast of Tabernacles, water and light, were present in the miracle. By spiting
onto the ground, Jesus demonstrated that indeed the living waters or the Spirit
of the Holy Ghost which can give man light does indeed come from Him, for
"out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38).
This is further emphasized by the washing of the waters in the pool of Siloam
which symbolized the Holy Ghost.
Conclusion
It is undeniable that Jesus'
statements during the Feast of Tabernacles are highlighted by the feast itself.
The Savior chose a sacred time of the year when the Jews looked forward with
great rejoicing through ritual action to the coming of the Messiah. Through the
instrumentality of the feast, Jesus declared that he was the promised Messiah;
that he was the literal fulfillment of everything promised in the Feast of
Tabernacles. It is clear from the hostile reactions of the Jews that they saw
it this way, supposing that by so doing he was speaking blasphemy (John
7:30,32,44-53; 8:59).
References
1. The Antiquities of the
Jews, 8.4.1. See also George W. MacRae, "The Meaning and Evolution of
the Feast of Tabernacles," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 22, no.3
(1960): 251.
2. Raymond E. Brown, The
Gospel According to John. Anchor Bible Series Vol. 29 (Garden City, NY: Doubleday,
1983), 326.
3. During the second temple
period, many Jews (including the Pharisees) followed an oral interpretation of
the written law of Moses found in Exodus through Deuteronomy. This is often
referred to as the "oral law." In the New Testament, the oral law is
called the tradition of the elders" (Matthew 15:2; Mark 7:3,5). In the
second century A. D., the oral tradition was reduced to writing and
systematically organized by Rabbi
Over time, the Rabbis held
many debates concerning the Mishnah. The records and minutes of these debates
were added to the Mishnah. This compilation has become known as the Talmud.
There were two different groups of Rabbis that produced a Talmud: a group in
In this paper, all references
to the Talmud refer to the Babylonian Talmud unless otherwise stated. Further,
in this paper, I will follow MacRae's thinking who states: "We shall not
be concerned with the dating of the Mishnah; there is no doubt that at least
some of the precepts in it go back long before the final crystallization of the
written form. It would be idle also to be deterred by the fact that many of the
legal prescriptions are meaningless in view of the destruction of the
4. Menahem Haran, Temples
and Temple Service in Ancient Israel (Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns.
1985; Originally published: Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1978), 26.
5. Roland de Vaux, Ancient
Israel: Vol. 2 Religious Institutions (New York: McGraw-Hill,1965), 470.
6. Talmud Pesahim 68b states
that the Feast of Weeks commemorated "the day on which the Torah was
given." See also Talmud Meglillah 31a and The Book of Jubilees 1:1;
6:17-19. This is not only the view of ancient Judaism, but modern Jewry as
well. Writing of this feast, Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin states: "Shavuot
[Heb. for feast of Weeks] commemorates the awesome event experienced by the
children of
7. It should be remembered
that as a result of rebellion, the law
8. J. C. Rylaarsdam,
"Convocation, Holy," in Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible,
4 Vols. (Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon, 1962), 1:678-679.
9. In the Talmud the eighth
day is actually considered a separate festival (see Sukkah 48a).
10. See
Talmud Shabbath 154b and Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews 7 Vols.
(Philadephia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1913), 4:405. Roofs
were generally flat with a staircase ascending from the outside and were used
for a variety of reasons.
11. The
Mishnah describes the rite of the burnt offering as being performed in four
parts with each part being determined by lot. The first lot was the clearing of
the ashes from the Altar (Yoma 2:2; Tamid 1:4). The ashes were cleared from the
Altar "at cockcrow or close to it, either before or after it" but
during "the Festivals at the first watch" for "before cockcrow
time drew near the Forecourt was already filled with Israelites" (Yoma
1:8). Josephus tells us that the temple gates which were normally kept closed
until morning were opened at midnight during festivals (The Antiquities of
the Jews, 18.2.2). The second lot determined "who should slaughter,
who should toss blood, (and) who should remove the ashes from the Inner Altar,
(and) who should clear away the ashes from the Candlestick, (and) who should
take up the limbs [of the burnt offering] to the Altar-slope" (Yoma 2:3;
see also Tamid 3:1). The animal could not be slaughtered before dawn,
therefore, the Captain of the
12.
According to Mishnah Mikvaoth 1:1: "There are six grades among ritual
baths, in ascending order of superiority." These are (1) water in
cisterns, (2) water of rain drippings, (3) mikvehs, (4) wells, (5) salty water
or hot water from a spring, and (6) living water (Mikvaoth 1:1-8). Only "living
water" could be used in the purification of lepers (Lev. 14:5) and the
defilement caused by dead corpses (Num. 19:17).
13. The
main sources for a description of the temple come from the Mishnah and
Josephus. But there is discrepancy in the different accounts. According to
Middoth 1:4-5 and Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 15.11.5, there are
seven gates into the Court of the Priests including the Nicanor gate (which
does not actually open into the Court of Priests but into the Court of the
Israelites). In Middoth 2:6, Shekalim 6:3 and Josephus' The Wars of the Jews
5.5.2, eight gates are mentioned not including the Nicanor gate. Most
scholars accept the smaller number placing the Water Gate as the third gate
from the west on the southern side of the Court of the Priests. This would
place it close to the laver (see Shmuel Safrai and Michael Avi-Yona, "
14. It
is Safrai's belief that the people were involved in the procession itself. Says
he:
"The people
participated in all the rites of the Feast of Tabernacles and, with the
exception of the water-libation which was performed by a priest or the high
priest, their role in
15.
Safrai, "
16.
George W. McCrae, "The Meaning and Evolution of the Feast of
Tabernacles," 272.
17. This
is the view of J. C. Rylaarsdam who describes this scene in this manner:
"The water was brought up in solemn fashion with the blowing of the shofar
at the city gate. The pilgrims, singing the Hallel and carrying their lulabs,
witnessed the circumambulation of the altar by the priestly procession and
waving their lulabs, joined in the great cry: 'Save us, we beseech thee, O
LORD'" ("Booths, Feast of," in Interpreter's Dictionary of
the Bible, 4 Vols. [Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon, 1962], 1:456).
18.
Mishnah Sukkah 3:9 says: "And where do they wave?--At the beginning and
end of Give thanks unto the Eternal and at We beseech Thee, O
Eternal, save us, we pray; this is the view of the School of Hillel. The
19. In
the Talmud, there is a debate about how often the water-drawing rite was done
as well as when it was performed last in the feast (see Taanith 2a-3a).
However, the Mishnah, which consists of earlier Rabbinical writings, suggests
that the last day the water-drawing ritual was performed was the seventh day
(Sukkah 4:1; but see Rabbi
20. See
Exodus 29:38-42 and Numbers 28:2-4.
21. See
Safrai, Ritual in "
22.
Mishnah Pesachim 5:1 says: "The daily burnt-offering was slaughtered at the
eighth hour and a half and offered up at the ninth hour and a half."
However, it is not clear whether the time on this was strictly held during the
Feast of Tabernacles.
23. See
Safrai, Ritual in "
24. From
Talmudic sources it appears that "the place of the Water-Drawing" is
in the Court of the Women. Talmud Sukkah 53a tells of the rejoicing that took
place after the lighting of the huge candelabra's which Mishnah Sukkah 5:2 says
took place in the Court of Women. Yet Talmud Sukkah 53a speaks of this place as
"the place of Water-Drawing." In a note on Mishnah Sukkah 5:1, Philip
Backman suggests the reason for this name was because there was a "well,
in the Women's Forecourt, from which the water was drawn for libation on
Sukkoth" (Backman, Mishnayoth, 2:341). However, Raymond Brown says
of this place: "In connection with the water ceremonies at the feast of
Tabernacles, the Jerusalem Talmud (Sukkah 55a) says that the part of the temple
precincts traversed during the procession with the water was called the 'Place
of Drawing,' because from there 'they drew the holy spirit' (also Midrash
Rabbah lxx 8 on Gen xxix 1)" (Brown, The Gospel According to John.
The Anchor Bible, v. 29, 329).
25. The
Rabbi's believed that these traditions were given at
26.
MacRae, "The Meaning and Evolution of the Feast of Tabernacles," 269.
The association of the Feast of Tabernacles with rain is well known from
Mishnaic times. The tractate Ta'anith, which deals with special fasts that are
called for due to continued drought, begins with the statement: "From what
time should they begin to mention the Power of Rain? R. Eliezer says,
From the first Holyday day of the Festival of Tabernacles; R. Joshua says, From
the last Holyday day of the Festival of Tabernacles" (1:1).
27. cf.
Ps. 46:4; 65:9; Isa. 8:6; Jer. 2:13; Ezek. 47:1-12; Joel 3:18; Rev. 22:1-2. On
this, Brown comments thus: "The fountain of waters that overflows from
28.
Numerology is an important aspect of Jewish thought. Numbers like 3, 4, and 7
represented wholeness or completeness. Three because the number three has a
beginning, a middle, and an end. Four because there are four corners of the world.
Seven because the world was created in seven days. To emphasize the
completeness of something, often the number was multiplied by itself: 3 x 3, 4
x 4, or 7 x 7.
29. The
reason for his late arrival seems to be due to the pressure of his
non-believing brothers who wished him to go to the feast simply to perform
miracles. Brown sees this as a temptation faced by the Savior similar to the
account in Matthew (4:1-11) and Luke (4:1-13) where the Savior is tempted to
display his power by jumping from the pinnacle of the temple (see Brown, The
Gospel According to John. The Anchor Bible, v. 29, 308 for complete
discussion). Therefore, the Savior delays his departure to the feast so that it
is clear that his reasons for being there are not to display his power.
31.
Jerusalem Talmud Sukkah 55a, quoted from Morris, The Gospel According to
John, 421; see also F.F. Bruce, The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids,
Mich.: Eerdmans, 1983), 182, 187 n.13; John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the
New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica 4 Vols. (Peabody, Mass.:
Hendrickson, 1979), 3:322-323.
32. The
theme of Christ as the living waters permeates the gospel of John wherein is
recorded several incidences that occurred during the ministry of Christ that
revolve around water. For example, John records the story of the Savior
offering living water to the woman of
In view of this, the reader
of John's gospel is stunned to discover that while on the cross the Savior
cried out, "I thirst" (John 19:28), a statement only recorded by
John. He to whom all must go to receive "living waters" so they may
"never thirst" again (John 4:14), now thirsted! This pathetic
statement reveals that while on the cross, the Savior, in bearing our sins,
infirmities, fears, guilt, and remorse, had "descended below all
things" that he might comprehend "all things" (D&C 88:6).
Thus, he became like "the poor and needy" who "seek water, and
there is none" (Isaiah 41:17). He had become like us, lost, alone, and
thirsty. In this condition, the Savior gained the compassion and mercy needed
to bring the living waters to those who seek it.
33. John
8:20 tells us that he was in the treasury, which is the Court of the Women.
34. J.
H. Bernard sees the lighting of the candelabras as a possible background behind
Jesus' saying, but offers another possible reason: "But Philo's account of
the Feast of Tabernacles would furnish an equally plausible explanation. He
says that this feast is held at the autumnal equinox, in order that the world (kosmos)
may be full, not only by day but also by night, of the all-beautiful light (tou
pagkalou photos), as at this season there is no twilight (de septen.
24) . . . The passage of Philo shows, however, that the Feast of Tabernacles
suggested the idea of light to some minds" (J. H. Bernard, A
Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. John, 2
Vols. The New International Critical Commentary [
35. See
for example, Psalms 27:1, Isa. 60:19. "The later Rabbis applied the
thought to the Messiah: 'Light is the Name of Messiah,' they said"
(Bernard, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to
St. John, 2:292).
Review John 8-11
April 19, 2007
“The 7 I Am’s”
- I am the Bread of Life – John
6:35,48
- I am the Light of the World –
John 8:12, 9:5
- I am the Door of the Sheep
(fold) – John 10:7,9
- I am the “Good Shephard – John
10:11
- I am the Resurrection and the
Life – John 11:25
- I am the Way, the Truth, and
the Life – John 14:6
- I am the True Vine – John
15:1,5
Purpose of the
Sabbath:
(Doctrine and Covenants
77:12.) – 7th day is a day of sanctification and the focus on man’s
creation. There is a reflection back on
the creation and on the exodus story.
12 Q. What are we to
understand by the sounding of the trumpets, mentioned in the 8th chapter of
Revelation?
A. We are to understand
that as God made the world in six days, and
on the seventh day he finished his work, and sanctified it, and also formed man
out of the dust of the earth, even so, in the beginning of the seventh
thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth, and complete the salvation
of man, and judge all things, and shall redeem all things, except that which he
hath not put into his power, when he shall have sealed all things, unto the end
of all things; and the sounding of the trumpets of the seven angels are the
preparing and finishing of his work, in the beginning of the seventh thousand
years—the preparing of the way before the time of his coming.
(Doctrine and Covenants
59:9-15.) – Keep ourselves unspotted from the world, healing both spiritually
and physically, become dedicated and consecrated to God. We come to gain knowledge of God who we want
to worship.
9 And that thou mayest
more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of
prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;
10 For verily this is a
day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto
the Most High;
11 Nevertheless thy vows
shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;
12 But remember that on
this, the Lord's day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto
the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.
13 And on this day thou
shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of
heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be
full.
14 Verily, this is fasting
and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.
15 And inasmuch as ye do
these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, not with
much laughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful
countenance—
Worship –
To understand who God is. We devote
ourselves to God and qualify ourselves for the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
The Apostle John shows us the importance of
the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost gives us
the ability to see and hear.
(John 3:2-3.) – Nicodemus
comes by night, he cannot “see”, we need the Holy Ghost to “see”.
2 The same came to Jesus
by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from
God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said
unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God.
(John 16:7-8.) – Jesus
discourses on the mission of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is necessary to help sanctify a person so they can gain
intelligence.
7 Nevertheless I tell you
the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the
Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he
will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
(John 16:13.) – The Holy Ghost = 1. Guide you
into all truth, we seek and follow, He brings truth to us but He won’t force it
upon us. 2. He tells us things to
come. 3. He glorifies Christ and the
Father. He is our 1st
advocate, Christ is our 2nd advocate.
13 Howbeit when he, the
Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not
speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and
he will shew you things to come.
John 9 –
The man who was born blind (represents the Jews of that time). In verse 4 Jesus says that He along wilth the
Holy Ghost will not be available after a period of time and miracles will cease
among the people.
(John 14:6.) – Jesus is
the creator of truth, doctrine, and law, understand this to receive the Holy
Ghost, He also provides clarity and enlightenment.
6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me.
The essence of Christianity centers
on the idea that salvation is in Christ. That being the case, everyone who
truly embraces the Christian faith must at the same time embrace the idea that
it is only in and through Christ that salvation comes. Christ himself said,
"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but
by me" (John 14:6). Thus the doctrine of all the holy prophets has been
that there is "none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved" (Acts 4:12; see also D&C 18:23; 2 Ne. 25:20; 31:21). Within the ranks of those professing
to be Christians there may be differences on the requirements of salvation, but
all must agree on the acceptance of Christ as the source of salvation. At issue
here is not whether a line must be drawn between the believer and the
nonbeliever but simply where that line should be drawn. Latter-day Saints have
marked a narrow path; the Protestant world endorses a broad one. For us there
is but "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph. 4:5) and thus one
true Church. For Protestants the point of unity is the saving grace of Christ,
beyond which is an immense doctrinal and denominational diversity. They hold it
to be unchristian for us to suppose that they are not on the path of salvation
while rejecting as outrageous any notion that we could possibly be on that path.
(Joseph
Fielding McConkie, Answers: Straightforward Answers to Tough Gospel
Questions [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 34.)
(John 8:31-46.) – We are
in bondage when we commit sin (vs 34). Since
we are all sinners we are not heirs but Christ is an heir because He is sinless
(vs35). There isn’t a kingdom of glory
for sinners who refuse to repent. Just
because you are Abraham’s seed that does not make you free. If you love God you will love Christ. They are upset that He healed twice on the Sabbath,
John 5 and 9. Spiritual blindness without the gift of the Holy Ghost.
31 Then said Jesus to
those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye
my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33 ¶ They answered him, We
be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye
shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth
not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore
shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
37 I know that ye are
Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
38 I speak that which I
have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
39 They answered and said
unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's
children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now ye seek to kill
me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not
Abraham.
41 Ye do the deeds of your
father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one
Father, even God.
42 Jesus said unto them,
If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from
God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do ye not
understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of your
father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer
from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in
him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the
father of it.
45 And because I tell you
the truth, ye believe me not.
46 Which of you convinceth
me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
Verse 46 – The
leaders sin in their hearts by wanting to murder Christ and He sees it. They say he is blaspheming, but He shows them
by His words and deeds that He is the Promised Messiah. Christ obeys the written law but rejects
their oral law and they don’t like that.
Christ is trying to show them the way but they reject Him.
"The Truth Shall Make You
Free"
31. To those Jews who were beginning to
believe, Jesus said: 'If ye continue to believe and obey my words, ye shall
establish yourselves as my true followers; ye shall become saints in very
deed.'
32. Truth] See John 18:38. Ye shall know the
truth] How will this knowledge of spiritual truth come? By heeding the words
of Christ; by seeking to live in conformity to every word that proceedeth forth
from the mouth of God, "for the word of the Lord is truth" (D. &
C. 84: 44-45); by devout, personal desire; by sincere scriptural study; and by
fervent personal prayer.
Spiritual truths are known only by
revelation. "The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of
God." (1 Cor. 2:11.) "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will
guide you into all truth." (John 16:13.) "By the power of the Holy
Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moro. 10:5.)
Christ himself set the pattern; he
progressed from grace to grace until "He received a fulness of truth, yea,
even of all truth; And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his
commandments. He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until
he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things." (D. & C. 93:26-28.)
The truth shall make you free] Free from the damning power of false
doctrine; free from the bondage of appetite and lust; free from the shackles of
sin; free from every evil and corrupt influence and from every restraining and
curtailing power; free to go on to the unlimited freedom enjoyed in its fulness
only by exalted beings.
33. This reply, obviously spoken by
unbelievers in the multitude, can not rationally be interpreted as presenting a
claim that the Jews had never been subject to temporal bondage. At that very
time, they were vassals of Rome, and between that day and the time of Father
Abraham, as a nation of slaves, they had bowed in toil through centuries of
Egyptian bondage, and had been unrooted and carried bodily into Babylonian
captivity.
Rather, Jesus' unbelieving
respondents were saying: 'We are the chosen seed, and as such we have the
truth; never have our minds been darkened by error; our fathers had the truth,
and we have it. Why at this late date do you think to reveal to us the truths
which will give us that spiritual freedom which we already have?'
Abraham's seed] John 8:37-50.
34-36. What masterful analogy, what infallible
logic Jesus here uses. As there are restrictions and limitations in temporal
matters, so there are also in the spiritual realm. Temporally speaking, only
members of the family abide permanently in the house; servants come and go in
their menial ministrations; they cannot abide forever in the house unless freed
from their station as bondsmen; they remain outside the inner circle unless
adopted as members of the family, thus being made legal heirs of all its
privileges.
Similarly in spiritual things, only
the family members, the freemen, the sons and daughters of God, shall abide
forever in his kingdom; the servants, those bound by the chains of sin, shall
minister in their assigned spheres; they cannot abide in the Father's house
unless freed from sin through the cleansing power of the Son. To gain an
inheritance in the spiritual kingdom, they must be spiritually begotten of the
Father, adopted into his family as joint-heirs with the Son.
Thus Jesus is saying: 'You may belong
to the household of Abraham now in mortality, but it may not be so always. Only
those who believe in me as the Son of God shall abide in the household of
faithful Abraham in the eternal worlds. If ye forsake sin, and believe in the
Son, he shall make you free from spiritual bondage, and only the free shall be
Abraham's seed hereafter.'
(Bruce R.
McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1965-1973], 1: 456.)
3 Nephi 11
– The people of Nephi didn’t understand the message either yet they were open
and eager to be taught, a totally different situation then what took place in
Jerusalem.
(John 8:47.) – We need a
spiritual rebirth to know God. We start
to see spiritually by coming to know God on the Sabbath, we receive the Holy
Ghost (The Sacrament prayer), as we do our part in the prayer we will “always have His Spirit to
be with us”
47
He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not,
because ye are not of God.
Abraham was commanded to offer up
Isaac in spite of the written law of the Lord, "Thou shalt not kill"
(Ex. 20:13). Because Abraham hearkened to this commandment "it was
accounted unto him for righteousness" (D&C 132:36). Church members
today must learn to live by revelation; and while they may never be commanded
to act contrary to the written law of the Lord, they must learn that faith unto
salvation is to know that the course which they pursue is the will of the Lord
(Lectures on Faith 3:2-5). They must receive all things by revelation
and commandment of the Lord as did Abraham. As Paul taught the Galatians,
"they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham" (Gal.
3:9). Paul also taught the Galatians through an allegory of Abraham's two sons,
Isaac and Ishmael, that those who were born after the Spirit were the children
of the promise of Abraham and those who were born after the flesh were not
(Gal. 3:22-31). Thus members of the
Church must be born of the Spirit to become Abraham's children and receive his
blessings. The concept of developing spiritual lineage rather than relying only
on physical lineage was what the Savior was trying to teach the Jews (John
8:31-59).
As the Savior informed the apostate
Jews that the children of Abraham would do the works of Abraham and as the
Apostle James taught that Abraham was justified by works as well as faith
(James 2:21-24), the members of the Church must keep the commandments and
justify their heritage of Abraham by the works they do. Those who do the works
of Abraham will be loved and blessed by God. In Nephi's words:
And he loveth those who will have him
to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them,
yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he
had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt (1 Nephi
17:40).
Although Abraham had great promises
extended to him, he had to earn those blessings by obedience to all that the
Lord commanded him. We have those same great promises extended to us, and we
must earn those blessings by our obedience to all that the Lord commands us. We
must do what the Lord commands, when he commands! As Abraham has become the
father of the faithful, may we become the faithful children of father Abraham
according to that promise.
(H. Donl
Peterson and Charles D. Tate, Jr., eds., The Pearl of Great Price:
Revelations from God [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1989], 168.)
Lifeless
works is not true worship, they are good, but need to be accompanied by prayer,
gospel study, and having the Holy Ghost to testify to us. Our obedience must be more than works, more
then a checklist, we serve others because we love God and we are obedient to
know God better.
We show our
conversion in our countenance and in our worship. The Sabbath is a day set aside to worship
God. We pray, meditate, and ponder His
ways, this goes along with our works.
Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. He deliberately knew who He would heal and on
what day it would be done. An object
lesson for the people.
Bruce gave
us an article about Mother Teresa, with all of her good works she said she did
not feel close to God.
(Revelation 3:1-2.) – We
live yet are dead (spiritually), if our lives become routine (checklist), then
our lives are no better then those who obeyed the oral law. We are not placing God 1st in our
lives, we aren’t loving Him.
1 And unto the angel of
the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits
of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou
livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and
strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found
thy works perfect before God.
JESUS IS THE CHRIST (John 7-11)
LAMAR E. GARRARD
Chapters 7 through 11 in the Gospel
of John cover that period in the life of Jesus when he was, for the most part,
in Judea (Jerusalem or the near vicinity), testifying to the Jewish people and
their religious leaders that he was their Christ or promised Messiah. Almost
everything he said or did during this period is related to the fact that he is
the Christ, the Lord God, the Savior or Redeemer of this world. The Jewish
nation, as a whole, rejected his claim that he was the Christ, the promised
Messiah. (John 1:11; 3 Ne. 9:16.) This was especially so in the vicinity of
Jerusalem, where the temple and the hierarchy of the Jewish religion were
located. fn It was there that he encountered the most opposition, including
threats on his life. In fact, orders had been given that he be taken prisoner,
but he always managed to escape. Then, after he had finished his Judean
ministry, he rode openly and triumphantly on a donkey at the head of a
procession of followers into the city of Jerusalem, thus fulfilling a prophecy
that he was their King and promised Messiah. fn (Matt. 21:1-11.) He was crucified
five days later.
Before his Judean ministry, Jesus
spent most of his time in Galilee, preaching the gospel and healing the sick.
During this Galilean ministry, he made several journeys to Jerusalem to attend
the annual Passover feasts, staying only briefly each time. The last time he
was in Jerusalem for the Passover feast, he healed a cripple on the Sabbath and
was criticized for breaking the Sabbath. He answered his accusers, "My
Father worketh hitherto, and I work." (John 5:17.) This caused the Jewish
leaders to seek to kill him because they felt "he not only had broken the
sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with
God." (John 5:18.) Thereafter, he stayed mostly in Galilee, "for he
would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him." (John 7:1.)
The end of Jesus' Galilean ministry
came when his half-brothers—who had not yet accepted his divine status—asked
him to go to Jerusalem with them for the Feast of Tabernacles and perform great
works there as he had done in Galilee. He knew that if he did as they
requested, it would bring about his death prematurely, for he said: "I go
not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come." (John
7:1-8.) However, he later went down privately with his apostles. The time had
now come for him to leave his beloved Galilee forever (except when he would
return as a resurrected being, Matt. 28:16-18) to go to Jerusalem and bear
testimony of his divine status and mission. fn He knew that as a result of the
testimonies, he would eventually be crucified. (Matt. 16:21; 20:17-19.) Yet
this was part of God's plan to leave a final witness with the Jews that Jesus
was the Christ, the promised Messiah, and at the same time provide for his
great atonement. Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote:
Nearly three years have passed since
our Lord's baptism and the commencement of his formal ministry; in another six
months he will eat his last Passover with his disciples, be crucified, and
received up into eternal glory with his Father. The final hours of his ministry
before his final ascension into heaven are at hand. . . .
Jesus was leaving Galilee forever;
his great Galilean ministry was ended. In Judea and Perea his voice would yet
be heard, his mighty works seen. But the course of his life was toward the
cross, and he was steadfast and immovable in his determination to follow this
very course, one laid out for him by his Father. He had said of himself through
the mouth of Isaiah, "I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall
not be ashamed." (Isa. 50:7.) Clearly, there was to be no turning back. fn
The events in chapters 7 to 11 of
John's Gospel, designated as the Judean ministry, took place in either
Jerusalem or Bethany except for the following: (1) John 7:1-9, when he was
still in Galilee preparing to journey to Jerusalem; (2) John 10:40-11:16, when
he left Jerusalem and went east across the Jordan River into Perea because the
Jews "sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand"
(John 10:39); (3) John 11:54, when, after returning from Perea, he left
Jerusalem again, and "walked no more openly among the Jews; but went
thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and
there continued with his disciples." After a short stay in Ephraim, he
returned to Jerusalem to begin the Passion Week just six days prior to the
Passover and his death.
When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem from
Galilee, he accused the Jews of seeking to kill him because of the incident
involving the healing of the cripple on the Sabbath. The people were confused
because they did not at first know who he was. (John 7:19-26.) Once they knew
his identity, though, "they sought to take him." (John 7:30.) During
this part of his ministry, there are three references where he either avoided
going to Jerusalem or left the vicinity to avoid the Jews; at least five
references where they sought to take him prisoner in Jerusalem (John 7:30, 32,
44-46; 10:39; 11:57); two references where they attempted to stone him (John
8:58-59; 10:30-33); and finally, after he healed Lazarus, a reference to a plot
to kill him (John 11:47-53).
Views Concerning Christ
When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem,
there was no small stir concerning who he really was. Many "marvelled,
saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?" (John 7:15.)
Others "believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more
miracles than these which this man hath done?" (John 7:31.) On the other
hand, some said he had a devil when he accused them of breaking the law of
Moses by seeking to kill him. (John 7:20.)
Many rejected Jesus as the Messiah
because, according to their traditions, the coming of the Messiah would be
hidden in mystery so that no one would know where he came from (see John 7:27);
since Jesus' home in Nazareth was known and also his parents were known, they
surmised that he could not be the promised Messiah (see Matt. 13:55; John
6:42). Still others rejected him as the Messiah because, as the seed of David,
he should have come from Bethlehem rather than Galilee. At the Feast of
Tabernacles, Jesus quoted certain Messianic prophecies and implied that they
referred to him: "Many of the people therefore, when they heard this
saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ.
But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said,
That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem,
where David was? So there was a division among the people because of him."
(John 7:40-43.) Because of their apostate condition, a tradition had arisen
among some of the Jews that the prophet spoken of by Moses (Deut. 18:15-19) was
different from the promised Messiah. They believed that Jesus fulfilled the
role of this prophet rather than that of the Messiah or Christ.
As we read these accounts, it becomes
readily apparent that the Jews lacked spiritual insight into and understanding
of the scriptures as a result of disobedience and apostasy. (See John 8:43-45.)
Their leaders, who claimed to be able to see and understand the scriptures,
were actually blind as to their true meaning. They had changed the meaning of
the scriptures, relying more on traditions of uninspired predecessors. fn By
contrast, many of the common people, humble persons who were considered
spiritually blind by their leaders, were in fact able to see and understand the
scriptures and Christ's role, once it was explained to them by an inspired
teacher. Jesus pointed this out when he healed the blind man (who typified the
common people), who was not only able to see physically but also to see
spiritually once Jesus had healed him and testified to him. The Pharisees, who
cast the man out of their synagogue, claimed to see spiritually but were
actually spiritually blind:
Jesus heard that they had cast him
out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou belive on the Son
of God?
He answered and said, Who is he,
Lord, that I might believe on him?
And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast
both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
And he said, Lord, I believe. And he
worshipped him.
And Jesus said, For judgment I am
come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which
see might be made blind.
And some of the Pharisees which were
with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Jesus said unto them, If ye were
blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin
remaineth. (John 9:35-41.)
It is difficult to tell from the New
Testament record exactly how much the common people understood concerning the
role and mission of Christ or the Messiah. However, the fact remains that
whenever they felt he was implying by his words or actions that he was divine,
many became angry at him:
Jesus walked in the temple in
Solomon's porch.
Then came the Jews round about him,
and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ,
tell us plainly.
Jesus answered them, I told you, and
ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of
me. But ye believe not. . . . I and my Father are one.
Then the Jews took up stones again to
stone him.
Jesus answered them, Many good works
have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
The Jews answered him, saying, For a
good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a
man, makest thyself God. (John 10:23-25, 30-33.)
The Roles of the Messiah
With only the New Testament
record—which is often incomplete—it is sometimes difficult for us to understand
just what Jesus was saying regarding his role as the Christ or Messiah. With
the aid of modern scripture and prophets, however, we can gain a better
understanding of the Messiah's role. (See 1 Ne. 13:34-41.) Modern scripture
indicates that his role is twofold: he is the Lord God of this world, and he is
the Savior and Redeemer of this world. He told John and Peter Whitmer that he
was their Lord and their Redeemer. (See D&C 15:1;D&C 16:1.)
Sometimes he identified himself to Joseph Smith and others as their Lord or God
(see D&C 5:2; 18:33), and at other times as their Savior or Redeemer (see
D&C 29:1; 43:34). Furthermore, the role of the Christ seems to be divided
into two parts: Alma emphasized that Christ must be a God of justice (the Lord
God) as well as a God of mercy (Savior or Redeemer). In fact, Alma explained
that the role of Christ as a God of mercy cannot be overemphasized to the point
that it detracts from or nullifies his role as a God of justice; if mercy robs
justice, he said, then the works of justice are destroyed and God would cease
to be God. (Alma 42:15-25.)
It should be noted that Moses was a
prototype of Christ because he fulfilled two roles that were quite similar to
the roles fulfilled by Christ: both were to be rulers, lawgivers, and judges,
and both were to be deliverers and saviors to Israel. Moses prophesied to
Israel that God would raise up a prophet "like unto me; unto him ye shall
hearken." (Deut. 18:15.)
Lehi emphasized this dual role
associated with the Christ by telling us that "the law which the Holy One
hath given" has a punishment affixed if we do not obey it. (2 Ne. 2:10.)
He also stated that this same Holy One "offereth himself a sacrifice for
sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and
a contrite spirit." (2 Ne. 2:7.) In other words, Christ as our Deliverer,
Savior, or Redeemer can save us from the very laws he gave to us as our ruler
or Lord and God.
The words Messiah (from
Hebrew) and Christ (from Greek) are synonymous. fn In modern scriptures,
Messiah often appears in the text where one would normally expect Christ
to appear: John the Baptist bestowed the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph Smith
and Oliver Cowdery in the name of the Messiah (D&C 13:1), Lehi referred to
the fullness of the gospel of the Messiah (1 Ne. 15:13), and Joseph Smith
prayed that scattered Israel would come to believe in the Messiah (D&C
109:67). Furthermore, in the Book of Mormon the title Messiah is used in
conjunction with Christ's first role as the Lord God of the world, fn as well
as in conjunction with his second role as the Savior or Redeemer of the world.
fn The title Messiah appears over thirty times in the Book of Mormon in
books written before Christ's birth but not once in any books written after his
birth. fn This would seem to indicate that the title was used primarily in
reference to the future coming of Christ. fn Furthermore, the Book of Mormon
definitely identifies Jesus of Nazareth as this promised Messiah. (2 Ne.
25:19.)
In the original uncorrupted version
of the Bible, the title Messiah appeared much more often than in our
modern Bible, where it is found only four times. In the Book of Mormon the
title was sometimes used to indicate the future coming of the Holy One who
would save or deliver Israel from spiritual and temporal death (2 Ne. 3:5;
25:16, 18), fn whereas among the apostate Jews the term had traditionally come
to mean the advent of a great national Deliverer who would save Israel from
their worldly enemies. fn
Jesus as the Lord God
In order to better understand
Christ's words and works in John 7 through 11, it will be helpful to review,
through modern as well as ancient scriptures, the first role associated with
Jesus as the Christ: as the Lord God of this world.
All of us were born in premortality
as spirit children of God the Father (D&C 76:24; Heb. 12:9), fn Christ
being the firstborn of all these spirits (D&C 93:21; Col. 1:15). Each
spirit was given the opportunity to obey or disobey the words of God the
Father, which came in the form of light and truth. fn (D&C 93:29-33.) As we
obeyed, our spirits received more light and truth, and as we disobeyed, we
damned ourselves by not receiving further light and truth and thereby came
under condemnation. fn (Alma 12:9-13.) After a period of time in this premortal
state, some spirits excelled above their fellow spirits because they possessed
more light and truth or glory as a result of their obedience. fn (Abr.
3:22-23.) Because he was so obedient and gained so much light and truth
(glory), Christ became more intelligent than all the rest of these spirits.
(Abr. 3:19; John 17:5; Heb. 1:9.) He attained the status of a God and was made
the ruler over all the other spirits. fn Acting under the direction of his
Father, he was given the authority and power to create this earth and all
things therein. (D&C 38:1-3; Heb. 1:2.) He became a Divine Monarch, or the
Lord God, over this earth fn and all the spirits who were to come here.
Although they never attained the
status that Christ attained, some of the spirits in premortality were obedient
enough to be called great and noble and were chosen by Christ to be his rulers.
(Abr. 3:22-23; Jer. 1:5.) Abraham was one of these great spirits. He understood
Christ's eminence in premortality and the importance of his mission on earth,
so he looked forward to the future coming of Christ upon the earth and
rejoiced. fn The Jewish leaders, however, rejected Christ's testimony that he
was the God of this world. They accused him of blasphemy for making such a
statement and attempted to kill him by stoning; but since it was not yet time
to die, he escaped from their midst. (See John 8:52-59.)
The Light of the World
The purpose of mortality was to prove
us to see if we would continue to obey God's words and therefore obtain
additional light and truth. (Abr. 3:24-26.) Mortality provides the opposition
necessary for further refinement, bringing us toward a future goal of attaining
a fullness of light and truth with a resurrected body. fn Lucifer and his
followers in the premortal state did not have a love for truth as did most of
the other spirits. "A liar from the beginning" (D&C 93:25),
"a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44), he rebelled against God
and persuaded one-third of the spirits to follow after him. As a result, they
became subject to spiritual death, were cast out of the presence of God down to
the earth, and became the devil and his angels. (Moses 4:1-4; D&C
29:36-37.) Here they continue their war against God's plans and purposes and
attempt to persuade mortals to disobey Christ. (D&C 29:28-32; Moro. 7:12.)
In the treasury of the temple, Jesus
bore witness to the Jews of his divinely appointed status. However, the Jewish
leaders rejected not only his words but also the confirming testimony sent to
them by God the Father through the Spirit of God.
Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in
darkness, but shall have the light of life.
The Pharisees therefore said unto
him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
Jesus answered and said unto them,
Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I
came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go; Ye
judge after the flesh. . . .
I am one that bear witness of myself,
and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
Then said they unto him, Where is thy
Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me,
ye should have known my Father also.
These words spake Jesus in the
treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his
hour was not yet come. (John 8:12-15, 18-20.)
Elder McConkie pointed out: "It
appears to have been our Lord's deliberate design to dramatize the great truths
relative to himself by associating them with the religious and social practices
then prevailing." fn He therefore chose an appropriate time during the
Feast of Tabernacles to emphasize that he was the light of the world. As Elder
McConkie explained:
And so now, apparently while the
great golden lampstands in the temple were blazing forth their light as part of
the festivities of the Feast of the Tabernacles, he took occasion to associate
himself with the Messianic prophecies by announcing, "I am the light of
the world."
His hearers well knew that their
Messiah should stand as a light to all men; that is, they knew that he as the
very source of light and truth, would stand forth as a light, an example, a
dispenser of truth; they knew that his would be the mission to mark the course
and light the way which all men should travel. (3 Ne. 15:9; 18:16, 24.)
Messianic prophecies given to their fathers promised that he would be "a
light to the Gentiles" (Isa. 49:6), a light piercing the darkness of error
and unbelief (Isa. 60:1-3). Jesus' application of these prophecies to his own
person was a clear proclamation of his own Messiahship. fn
The Good Shepherd
The scriptures indicate that the
tendency to accept or reject Christ's voice in premortality carries over into
this mortal life, for Christ has said that "whoso cometh not unto me is
under the bondage of sin. And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted
with my voice, and is not of me." (D&C 84:51-52.) The only place we
could have become acquainted with the voice of Christ, before we heard it in
this mortal state, was in our premortal life. Referring to himself as the Good
Shepherd, he said:
He that entereth in by the door is
the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his
voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he
putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him:
for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee
from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. . . .
I am the good shepherd, and know my
sheep, and am known of mine. . . .
But ye believed not, because ye are
not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never
perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave
them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my
Father's hand. (John 10:2-5, 14, 26-29.)
This metaphor carries an even greater
impression to the mind if one is acquainted with the relationship that existed
between the shepherd and his sheep in ancient biblical times. One observer has
noted:
By day and by night the shepherd is
always with his sheep. . . . This was necessary on account of the exposed
nature of the land, and the presence of danger from wild animals and robbers.
One of the most familiar and beautiful sights of the East is that of the
shepherd leading his sheep to the pasture. . . . He depends upon the sheep to
follow, and they in turn expect him never to leave them. They run after him if
he appears to be escaping from them, and are terrified when he is out of sight,
or any stranger appears instead of him. He calls to them from time to time to
let them know that he is at hand. The sheep listen and continue grazing, but if
any one else tries to produce the same peculiar cries and gutteral sounds, they
look around with a startled air and begin to scatter. . . .
As he is always with them, and so
deeply interested in them, the shepherd comes to know his sheep very
intimately. Many of them have pet names suggested either by the appearance or
character of the particular sheep, or by some incident connected with it. . . .
One day a missionary, meeting a shepherd on one of the wildest parts of the
Lebanon, asked him various questions about his sheep, and among others if he
counted them every night. On answering that he did not, he was asked how he
knew if they were all there or not. His reply was, "Master, if you were to
put a cloth over my eyes, and bring me any sheep and only let me put my hands
on its face, I could tell in a moment if it was mine or not." Such is the
fulness of meaning in the words of the good Shepherd, "I know mine own,
and mine own know Me" (John 10:14). fn
Living Water
Those who continue to accept the
promptings of the Spirit of Christ to the point where they accept and live the
gospel (D&C 84:43-48) will overcome spiritual death by receiving the gift
of the Holy Ghost, which is an even greater source of light and truth (2 Ne.
31:18; 32:5). fn Since they now receive light and truth through the power of
the Holy Ghost, they are able to influence others, by their example and words,
to accept and live the gospel and thereby also receive light and truth. fn
"In the last day, that great day
of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come
unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of
his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit,
which they that believe on him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was promised
unto them who believe, after that Jesus was glorified.)" (JST, John
7:37-39.) Again, we see Jesus portraying himself as the Messiah or God of this
world by using dramatic moments in Jewish worship at one of the annual feasts.
Elder McConkie wrote:
In the majesty of his own eternal
might, the Lord Jehovah had proclaimed to ancient Israel: "I will pour
water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my
spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." (Isa. 44:3.)
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." (Isa. 55:1.)
Now the same Eternal One, tabernacled
in the flesh, ministering as the Lord Jesus unto the seed and offspring of them
of old, proclaimed his willingness to give the Holy Ghost to men so that floods
of living water might be poured out upon them. His solemn invitation, "If
any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink," was a plain and open
claim of Messiahship. In making it he identified himself as the very Jehovah
who had promised drink to the thirsty through an outpouring of the Spirit.
After such a pronouncement his hearers were faced with two choices: Either he
was a blasphemer worthy of death, or he was in fact the God of Israel.
For the publicizing of such a
sobering and transcendent doctrine Jesus chose one of the most solemn and
dramatic moments of Jewish worship. On each of the eight days of the feast of
Tabernacles, as most authorities agree, it was the custom, for the priest as
part of the temple service, to take water in golden vessels from the stream of
Siloam, which flowed under the temple-mountain, and pour it upon the altar.
Then the words of Isaiah were sung: "With joy shall ye draw water out of
the wells of salvation." (Isa. 12:3.) And it was at this very moment of
religious climax that Jesus stepped forth and offered draughts of living
refreshment which would satisfy the deepest spiritual cravings of the thirsty
soul. fn
The Healing of the Blind Man
In addition to his verbal testimonies
and use of metaphors, Christ performed miracles to testify to the Jews that he
was the God of this world. (John 10:24-25.) Two great miracles were performed
by him at this time in the environs of Jerusalem: the giving of sight to the
man who was blind from birth (John 9:1-38) and the bringing of Lazarus back
from the dead (John 11:1-45). The motive he gave for performing the first was
"that the works of God should be made manifest in him" (John 9:3), and
for the latter, "for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be
glorified thereby" (John 11:4). Although the blind man, Lazarus, and
others present benefited personally from these miracles, perhaps the primary
reason Christ performed these miracles was to give irrefutable evidence to the
Jews that he had divine powers, that he had control and power over the elements
of this earth, and that he was indeed Christ, the Lord God of this world. fn
The man born blind did not ask to be
healed. He received his sight only after he was noticed by Christ and then
followed his instructions; later he testified that it was through
Christ's power that he was healed.
As Jesus passed by, he saw a man
which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master,
who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man
sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in
him. . . .
When he had thus spoken, he spat on
the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind
man with the clay, and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. . . .
He went his way therefore, and
washed, and came seeing. (John 9:1-3, 6-7.)
The question the disciples asked
obviously referred to a sin committed in premortality. Christ's reply confirms
that both he and other Jews believed in a premortality where one could disobey
God. fn
The reality of the miracle became
public because those who had known the blind man could now see that he was no
more blind. (John 9:8-12.) The news soon reached the Jewish leaders, especially
since the miracle was performed on the Sabbath day. They failed in their
attempt to discredit it (John 19:13-25), but they did not want to admit that
Jesus had divine powers. fn Hence, they tried to escape the obvious by the
fallacy of ad hominem: they accused the healed man of being a sinner and
cast him out of the synagogue:
Then said they to him again, What did
he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
He answered them, I have told you
already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be
his disciples?
Then they reviled him, and said, Thou
art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto
Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
The man answered and said unto them,
Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet
he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any
man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world
began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
They answered and said unto him, Thou
wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
(John 9:26-34.)
Since the man did not ask to be
healed, and since Christ stated that the man was born blind so that "the
works of God should be manifest in him," it is obvious that the miracle
was performed primarily as a witness to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ, the
Lord God of this world.
The Raising of Lazarus
The bringing of Lazarus back from the
dead seems to be an even greater witness of Christ's divine power over the
elements. The body of Lazarus had been in the grave for four days, with the
decomposition process well under way. (John 11:17.) To bring him back from the
dead required not only that his spirit be brought back from the spirit world to
be united again with his body, but also that the physical elements of the body
be changed from a decomposed or unorganized state to their former or more
organized state, thus seemingly defying laws of nature. fn
Jesus was in Perea when he learned
that Lazarus was sick. Had he performed the miracle strictly out of compassion
or love for Mary and Martha, he no doubt would have rushed to Bethany
immediately. However, he apparently delayed his coming so that the incident
would be more miraculous, thus demonstrating more vividly his divine powers:
Now a certain man was sick, named
Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. . . .
Therefore his sisters sent unto him,
saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
When Jesus heard that, he said, This
sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might
be glorified thereby.
Now Jesus loved Martha, and her
sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two
days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his
disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. (John 11:1, 3-7.)
Jesus used this incident to test
Martha's faith. Because of her obedience to God, she was spiritually alive,
having light and truth to be able to testify that Jesus was the Christ. Thus,
she knew that he had the power to bring Lazarus back from the dead. She told
him: "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know,
that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. . . .
Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should
come into the world." (John 11:21-22, 27.)
By the time Jesus arrived at
Lazarus's tomb, a large crowd had gathered. Thus, when Lazarus came forth from
the tomb, there were numerous witnesses to the great miracle, including many
who had great faith; the raising of Lazarus confirmed their belief that Jesus
was the Christ. (John 11:45.) However, when the news reached the ears of the
chief priests and Pharisees, "they took counsel together for to put
[Jesus] to death." (John 11:53.) The miracle performed two functions: it
helped to confirm the faith of those who had already accepted the testimony of
the Spirit of God and had believed, and it served as a further witness against
those who fought against the testimony of the Spirit and hence disbelieved. (3
Ne. 29:5-7.)
In his role as the Lord God of this
world, Christ is not only our law-giver but also our final judge as to how we
have kept his law; in this respect he is a God of justice. He has stated that
he "cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance" (D&C
1:31), and if we do not keep his laws, he must see to it that we are punished.
His laws are given not only in the scriptures and through the prophets but also
through the Holy Ghost. If we ask for revelation and he answers through one of
these mediums, it becomes a law unto us. If we do not then obey that law, we
"become transgressors; and justice and judgment are the penalty which is
affixed unto [the] law." (D&C 82:4.) We will be punished by remaining
spiritually dead, and eventually we will die in our sins. (2 Ne. 9:38; Moro.
10:26.)
Since the Jewish leaders were not
seeking the truth, they did not accept Christ as their God or Lawgiver. As a
result, they became and remained spiritually dead and would die in their sins:
Then said Jesus again unto them, I go
my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins. . . . Ye are from
beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said
therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that
I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Then said they unto him, Who art
thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the
beginning. (John 8:21, 23-25.)
Evidently these Jewish leaders loved
their sins so much that they did not want to accept the truth and could not
admit that they were wrong. (John 3:19-20.) They preferred to listen to the
voice of the devil, who was a liar from the beginning (in premortality) and
hates light and truth.
[Jesus said:] I know that ye are Abraham's
seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak
that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with
your father.
They answered and said unto him,
Abraham is our father.
Jesus saith unto them, If ye were
Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But ye seek to kill me, a
man that hath told you the truth. . . . Ye do the deeds of your father. . . .
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are
of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a
murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no
truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar,
and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. . .
.
He that is of God heareth God's
words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. (John 8:37-41,
43-45, John 8:4747.)
Jesus knew that the Jewish leaders
would not accept him in mortality but would crucify him. (Matt. 20:17-19.)
Then, after he had risen from the grave and they had risen from the grave, they
would have to face him at the judgment bar. At that time they would know who he
really was and would have to confess that he was the Christ, the Lord God of
this world, and that they had trampled and broken his laws: fn "Then said
Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that
I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I
speak these things." (John 8:28.)
Jesus as the Savior or Redeemer
The second role associated with the
title Christ was that of a Savior or Redeemer. In this role, he was to
redeem or save mankind from the consequences of the very laws he had given in
his first role as the Lord God of this world. (2 Ne. 2:9-10.) As a result of
Adam's and Eve's transgression of God's law in the Garden of Eden, they, as
well as all their posterity, became subject to temporal and spiritual death.
(Moses 6:48; D&C 29:41.) This meant that after temporal or mortal death,
the bodies of all mankind would remain in the grave to rot and crumble, never
to rise again. At the same time, all the spirits of mankind would be cast out
of the presence of God, doomed to dwell forever with Satan and his angels. (2
Ne. 9:7-9.) Therefore, an atonement was needed to overcome the effects of these
two everlasting deaths: to resurrect all mankind from the grave to an immortal
state and to bring all back after the resurrection, into the presence of God to
be judged. (2 Ne. 9:10-15.)
Not only was an atonement needed to
overcome Adam's transgression, but it was also needed to overcome the spiritual
death people bring upon themselves in this mortal life through disobedience to
God's laws. Because of the power Satan gained over the physical world
(including our physical bodies as well as our environment) through the Fall, it
is very difficult for persons in this fallen condition to resist the temptation
of Satan without the help of God. fn Consequently, all persons, after they
reach the age of accountability, disobey Christ's laws at one time or another
(some more than others) and become subject to spiritual death. (Alma 42:11,
14.) Although they are deprived of the presence of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost in this state of spiritual death, they can still receive the
promptings of the Spirit of Christ directly or when they hear the prophets or
read the scriptures here on earth. (Moro. 7:16-19; D&C 84:46.) Christ was
the only person upon the earth who always obeyed his own laws as well as his
Father's. Therefore, he was always spiritually alive.
Since it is impossible for people to
relive their lives, Christ has provided a way, through the power of the
Atonement, for us to become spiritually alive by going directly from spiritual
death to spiritual life, providing we do the things he requires. (Alma
42:9-15.) First, he requires us to have godly sorrow for our sins and to
confess that we have broken his laws. fn (D&C 58:43.) Once we have a
sincere desire to change our lives to be more in conformity with God's laws,
then the power of the Atonement can be used to help us resist Satan's power and
overcome the tendency to disobey God. fn Once this change is made, we are then
in a position to make restitution for past sins. fn After we show further
obedience by being baptized, God can use the power of the Atonement to wash
away our sins so that we are clean and ready to receive the Holy Ghost. (2 Ne.
31:5-17.) When we receive the Holy Ghost, we are back in the presence of God
and have overcome spiritual death. As long as we continue to feast upon the
words of Christ and obey him, we will never again taste of spiritual death. fn
In a conversation with some of the
Jews who had begun to believe on him as their Lord and God, Jesus said that if
they would accept his word and obey it, then as their Savior or Redeemer he
could free them from the bondage of sin and help them to overcome the tendency
to sin so that they could overcome spiritual death. Furthermore, as long as
they continued to obey, they would never again taste of spiritual death:
Then said Jesus to those Jews which
believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
They answered him, We be Abraham's
seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made
free?
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. . . . If the
Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. . . . If a man keep
my saying, he shall never see death.
Then said the Jews unto him, Now we
know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou
sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou
greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead: whom
makest thou thyself? (John 8:31-34, 36, 51-53.)
The obvious answer to their question
was that Jesus was greater than Abraham or any of the other prophets. (John
8:58.) He was not just a teacher or preacher; his role as the Redeemer and
Savior of the world far outshadowed his role as a teacher. fn Many have
preached and could preach the gospel, but one—and only one—person could be the
Savior of the world. Only one person could free others from being servants of
sin and release them from spiritual death. That person was the Christ, the
Savior and Redeemer of the world. fn
Just what did Jesus have to be and to
do in order to accomplish the Atonement? The scriptures indicate that he had to
be born the Son of God the Father; he had to live a sinless life; he not only
had to shed his blood but also to suffer so tremendously that he sweat blood
from every pore, and he had to voluntarily sacrifice his life. (D&C 45:3-4.)
At the time he gave up his life on the cross he said, "It is
finished" (John 19:30), indicating that the requirements of the Atonement
had been met (Heb. 9:12, 25-28; 10:14). He not only had the power to lay down
his life voluntarily, but now he also had the power to take it up again,
thereby bringing to pass his resurrection as well as the resurrection of all
mankind. (2 Ne. 2:8.)
In raising Lazarus from the dead,
Jesus performed a miracle to help teach the Jews his role as the Great Redeemer
or Savior. (See our discussion earlier in this chapter.) Even though Lazarus
was not resurrected at this time but was brought back to life as a mortal, this
miracle was a foreshadowing of the resurrection from the dead. Jesus tested
Martha's faith in his future ability to raise all mortals from the dead in the
resurrection; then he confirmed that faith by bringing Lazarus back from the
dead. He also used this incident to teach Martha his ability to raise people
from spiritual death to spiritual life and keep them there until they gain
eternal life, if they are willing to accept him as both their Lord God and
their Redeemer and to obey his will:
Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother
shall rise again.
Martha saith unto him, I know that he
shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Jesus said unto her, I am the
resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet
shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
Believest thou this?
She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I
believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the
world. (John 11:23-27.)
As odd as it may seem, God the Father
even inspired Caiaphas, the high priest, to bear testimony that Jesus was the
Great Redeemer who would die for his people, so that he could save them from
spiritual and temporal death: "Caiaphas, being the high priest that same
year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all. Nor consider that it is expedient
for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation
perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year,
he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation
only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that
were scattered abroad." (John 11:49-52.)
Summary
John 7 through 11 covers a very
important part of the life of Jesus of Nazareth: He knew that he would be
rejected and crucified by the Jewish nation, so he came to Jerusalem to bear a
final witness that he was the promised Messiah. He bore that testimony in his
conversations, through parables and metaphors, through performing miraculous
healings, and by associating himself with various religious practices performed
at the annual feasts. It is apparent that in these five chapters of John, Jesus
emphasized both of his roles as the Christ: as the Lord God of this world and
as the Savior or Redeemer of the world. To accept him as the Christ in either
of these roles is necessary, but not sufficient to gain salvation. To accept
him as the Christ in both of these roles is both necessary and sufficient for
us to be saved from our sins and eventually gain eternal life.
NOTES
LaMar E. Garrard is professor of
Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University.
Footnotes
1. The city of Jerusalem and
especially the temple typified the Jewish nation. When Jesus pronounced a
judgment against Jerusalem (JST, Luke 13:34-36) and the temple (Mark 13:1-2),
it was a pronouncement against both the people and their nation, for "with
the passing of the temple the Jews, as a distinct nation, also ceased."
See Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. (Salt
Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966-73), 1:636-37.
2. It was at this time that
"Jesus, as though to place the capstone on all the testimony of
Messiahship which he had previously borne, arranged to fulfil in detail one of
the great Messianic prophecies." (McConkie, 1:577.)
3. Christ warned that those who would
follow him and preach the same message would be persecuted and killed also.
(Matt. 10:16-40.) Peter preached that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 2:22-36) as
did Paul (Acts 26:1-24). Both men were persecuted and eventually killed for
that testimony. The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants bear
testimony that Jesus is the Christ, and Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred as
a result of that testimony. (D&C 136:36-39.) Modern-day elders are
commanded to bear testimony of Christ (D&C 68:6) so that they will not be
held accountable for the sins of their generation (D&C 88:81-88) and also
so that the wicked—who do not accept that testimony—will be left without excuse
when God visits them with his judgments (D&C 124:2-3, 7-10).
4. McConkie, 1:439.
5. Up until the days of John the
Baptist, there had been no prophets among the Jews for approximately five
hundred years. The last prophet, Malachi, had condemned the Jewish nation for
tendencies toward apostasy. Uninspired scribes and Pharisees interpreted the
scriptures to fit their own desires and needs, and from these false
interpretations there arose false traditions that later Jewish leaders accepted
as more binding than the scriptures. See James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ
(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1949), pp. 63-68.
6. See Talmage, pp. 35-36. The
premortal Christ was anointed the Lord God and the Savior over the human
family. See Ps. 45:6-7.
7. Abinadi referred to the coming of
the Messiah: "God himself shall come down among the children of men, and
redeem his people." (Mosiah 15:1.) Lehi spoke of the Messiah as the Holy
One who had given the law "unto the inflicting of the punishment which is
affixed." (2 Ne. 2:10.) He also referred to the Messiah in this same role,
saying that "if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of
Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments
of him that is just shall rest upon them." (2 Ne. 1:10.)
8. Nephi spoke of the coming of the
Messiah in terms of "the redemption of the world." (1 Ne. 1:19.) Lehi
referred to him in one verse as a prophet who would be raised up among the
Jews, "even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world" and
in the following verse as "this Messiah . . . or this Redeemer of the
world." (1 Ne. 10:4-5.) Lehi also explained that "redemption cometh
in and through the Holy Messiah. . . . He offereth himself a sacrifice for sin,
to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a
contrite spirit." He elaborated: "No flesh . . . can dwell in the
presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace, of the
Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh." (2 Ne.
2:6-8.)
9. The last reference to the Messiah
is in Helaman 8:13, which was written between 23 and 20 B.C.
10. 1 Nephi 1:19, 2 Nephi 25:19,
Jarom 1:11, Mosiah 13:33, and Helaman 8:13 indicate how the title was used in
an anticipatory sense.
11. The Book of Mormon also teaches
that the Messiah will save Israel in the latter days from temporal or worldly
enemies. (2 Ne. 6:13-14.)
12. Talmage, pp. 71-72.
13. See also Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 48, 353. This premortal state is discussed in
greater detail in the following articles: LaMar E. Garrard, "What Is
Man?" in Hearken, O Ye People (Sandy, Utah: Randall Book Co.,
1984), pp. 133-52, and LaMar E. Garrard, "The Origin and Destiny of
Man" in Studies in Scriptures, Vol. 1: The Doctrine and Covenants
(Sandy, Utah: Randall Book Co., 1984), pp. 365-78.
14. Evidently, the voice or word of
God comes to our spirits in the form of light and truth and through the power
of the Spirit of God. (D&C 84:43-47.) This is sometimes referred to as
testimony or promptings of the Spirit of God. (See Alma 32:28-35.)
15. Individual spirits can accept or
reject the promptings of the Spirit of God. When they reject the Spirit, either
in premortality or mortality, it is because they love their sins and do not
want to change their lives. The Spirit of God prompts them to believe in God
and accept his laws and change their lives to be in accordance with these laws.
(John 3:16-21.)
16. Glory, light and truth, and
intelligence are synonymous terms in this context: "The glory of God
is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth." (D&C 93:36.)
Those who are more obedient to God in this mortal life go into the next life
with more intelligence. (D&C 130:18-19.) For God to be just, it seems that
the same would apply to a spirit coming into this mortal life.
17. Evidently he was chosen and
anointed to this position of authority in premortality. (Ps. 45:6, 7; Heb. 1:8-12;
5:5-6; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 181, 265.) Sometimes
he is known as Jehovah. (Abr. 1:16; Ex. 6:3.)
18. Christ depicts himself as a
Divine Monarch sitting upon his throne who rules over all things. (D&C
60:4; 88:12-13.)
19. Teachings of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, p. 60; Hel. 8:17-18.
20. For more detailed information on
the purpose of the Fall and the role of opposition in life, see LaMar E.
Garrard, "The Fall of Man," Principles of the Gospel in Practice
(Sandy, Utah: Randall Book Co., 1985), pp. 39-70.
21. McConkie, 1:452.
22. Ibid., 1:452-53.
23. George M. Mackie, Bible
Manners and Customs (Beirut: Fleming H. Revell Co.), pp. 33-35.
24. When we receive the Holy Ghost,
we come back into the presence of God and overcome spiritual death. (Mosiah
27:24-27; McConkie, 1:141-42, 357, 469, 532.) A more detailed discussion on
spiritual death and spiritual life is given in the following articles: LaMar E.
Garrard, "Spiritual Death, Temporal Death, and the Atonement of
Christ," The Eleventh Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium: The New
Testament (Provo, Utah: Religious Education, Brigham Young University,
1983), pp. 57-72, and Garrard, "The Fall of Man," pp. 43-58.
25. McConkie, 1:446.
26. Ibid., 1:445-46.
27. Ibid., 1:479, 531.
28. Ibid., 1:480.
29. Those who do not love the truth
do not seek after truth because it would require them to change their lives to
be in conformity with God's laws. Therefore, these Pharisees did not want to
believe that Jesus was the God of this world, for that would require them to
recognize that they were wrong, be sorry for their sins, confess them, and then
forsake them. (D&C 56:14-15.)
30. Natural law is merely a
description of the way the elements obey God's commands. Since Jesus was the
Lord God of this world, he could revoke a former commandment for a new one
(D&C 56:4), which appears to mortals as a miracle. Those who refuse to
acknowledge that he has this power take a naturalistic view of the world that
eliminates God or his power over the elements. When people take this position,
they may also deny God's laws over themselves. Hence, if there is no God, or a
God with no power to enact laws, there is no need to repent for breaking these
laws. (Alma 42:17-21.) Such persons resist the Spirit of God, the words of the
prophets, and the scriptures because they love their sins. They prefer to
listen to Satan rather than God. (Alma 30:50-53.) For further discussion on
this subject of natural law, see Garrard, "What Is Man?," pp. 134-39.
31. McConkie, 1:455. See also 2 Ne.
9:46.
32. For further information on this
subject, see Garrard, "The Fall of Man," pp. 39-70. Because of the
power Satan gained over us through the Fall, we are commanded to call upon God
for help in overcoming Satan's temptations. (D&C 29:39-40; 10:5.)
33. There must be godly sorrow (a
broken heart and contrite spirit), which is sorrow that we have offended God by
breaking his laws, not just sorrow that we have offended a neighbor or that we
were caught. Paul said that "godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation
not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." (2 Cor.
7:10.)
34. If we have free agency, then it
is our desires that ultimately determine the choices we make (Alma 29:4-5; 2
Ne. 2:27-29), and consequently our actions or works (Alma 41:3-7).
35. Once we desire to change our
lives and humbly call upon God for help, as he has commanded us to do (Ether
3:2), then that help comes to us as the Holy Ghost fills our spirits (2 Ne.
12:6) and enlightens them (Alma 19:6; D&C 11:13). As we are born of God, we
gain the power or strength (Philip. 4:13; Col. 1:9-11) to change our carnal
natures and can eventually overcome the world (Mosiah 27:25; D&C 50:34-35).
Restitution cannot be completed until we cease to do those things for which we
are making restitution.
36. The Holy Ghost will continue to
guide and direct us (2 Ne. 31:19—32:3) as long as we do not turn against God
and disobey him (Heb. 6:4-6).
37. To characterize Jesus as just a
great moral teacher of ethics would be to humanize him and destroy him in his
role as the Redeemer and Savior. One of the requirements necessary to be Savior
of this world was that he had to be the Son of God the Father.
38. As the Son of God, Christ is the
only one who could "not be a human sacrifice" but "an infinite
and eternal sacrifice." (Alma 34:10.)
(Kent P.
Jackson and Robert L. Millet, eds., Studies in Scripture, Vol. 5: The
Gospels [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1986], 321.)
(Ezekiel 34:1-2.)
1 And the word of the LORD
came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, prophesy
against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the
Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do
feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Theocracy is based on
3 parts:
- Ecclesiactical
Priests,
Levites, High Priests always stayed at the Temple. Levites also stayed in Levitical cities,
these had 2 main functions. 1. Perform ordinances and 2. Teach the people the Law of Moses.
- Civil Leaders
Local
authorities, Chief Judge, Elders, Judges and officersm these offices are based
on the Law of Moses, their role was to promote Jehovah worship, there wasn’t
sereration of church and state.
- Prophets
Preachers
of Righteousness, although some were false prophets who taught what the
Ecclesiastical and Civil leaders wanted them to preach to the people (see
Isaiah, Jeremiah)
These were
to be the shepards of Israel, at times they had a king which came between the
people and Jehovah. These leaders for
the most part did not teach the people correct doctrine on how to conduct their
lives and worship Jehovah. They led the
people astray until they were all scattered, Deuteronomy 28:64-68.
(Deuteronomy 28:64-68.) –
Jeremiah 34:18-22
64 And the LORD shall
scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the
other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy
fathers have known, even wood and stone.
65 And among these nations
shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the
LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow
of mind:
66 And thy life shall hang
in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none
assurance of thy life:
67 In the morning thou
shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it
were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for
the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
68 And the LORD shall
bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee,
Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies
for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.
(Ezekiel 34:5-16.) – There
aren’t any shepherds watching the flock, so they are scattered and wander. Christ will seach, deliver, gather, feed, and
seek for those who are lost.
5 And they were scattered,
because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of
the field, when they were scattered.
6 My sheep wandered
through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was
scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after
them.
7 ¶ Therefore, ye
shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
8 As I live, saith
the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat
to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did
my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not
my flock;
9 Therefore, O ye shepherds,
hear the word of the LORD;
10 Thus saith the Lord
GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at
their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the
shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their
mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
11 ¶ For thus saith the
Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them
out.
12 As a shepherd seeketh
out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered;
so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they
have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13 And I will bring them
out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to
their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and
in all the inhabited places of the country.
14 I will feed them in a
good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there
shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon
the mountains of Israel.
15 I will feed my flock,
and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
16 I will seek that which
was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that
which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will
destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
In Christ’s
time the Pharisees aren’t feeding the flock, they don’t recognize Christ and
what He has done on the Sabbath (healing), their motives are not pure. The people are fighting against God because
they don’t know Him and don’t hear His doctrine, they live without the gift of
the Holy Ghost.
(John 10:9-18.) – Christ
is the door, the good shepherd and is willing to give His life for His
sheep. No man can take His life, it is
given voluntarily, as He allows it.
9 I am the door: by me if
any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not,
but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have
life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd:
the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an
hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf
coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and
scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth,
because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd,
and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth
me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have,
which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my
voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my
Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from
me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power
to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Christ is
completely obedient to His Father, He does His works and keeps His
commandments.
(John 10:22-39.)
22 ¶ And it was at
Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
23 And Jesus walked in the
temple in Solomon's porch.
24 Then came the Jews
round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If
thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I
told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they
bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not,
because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them
eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck
them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them
me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of
my Father's hand.
30 I and my Father
are one.
31 Then the Jews took up
stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them,
Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do
ye stone me?
33 The Jews answered him,
saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that
thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
34 Jesus answered them, Is
it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
35 If he called them gods,
unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
36 Say ye of him, whom the
Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I
said, I am the Son of God?
37 If I do not the works
of my Father, believe me not.
38 But if I do, though ye
believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the
Father is in me, and I in him.
39 Therefore they sought
again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
John 11 –
Christ will raise Lazarus from the dead.
The Jews believed that the spirit of a dead person will stay near the
body for 3 days and leave on the 4th day. Christ knows this and waits for the 3 days before
coming to Bethany.
This
miracle directly preceded Passion Week.
He demonstrates His power over life and death, He is the resurrection
and the life. He feels sorrow and
compassion for Mary and Martha and for the people. He loves them all and is willing to lay down
His life for them and us.
All of
these miracles happen to common people, men, women, and children, God is a God
of all, not just the leaders.
Rich Man –
His servant is healed
Jarius –
His daughter is raised from the dead
Lazarus –
His father is Simon the Leper?
Mary Anoints Jesus at Simon's Supper
Matt. 26:6. House of Simon the leper]
This means of identifying the place of the feast gives rise to many interesting
speculations. Who was Simon? If living and present he was obviously no longer
afflicted with leprosy. Was he, then, one who had been healed by Jesus? And since Martha served and Lazarus sat at
the table, while Mary anointed the Master, was this also their Bethany home?
Was Simon their father? The gospel authors seem to have drawn a reverent
curtain over many of the details of Jesus' private life and friendships,
revealing only those things needed to give proper testimony of his ministry and
mission.
Matt. 26:7. Poured it on his head]
John 12:3. Anointed the feet of Jesus] To understand this solemn scene
one must both know and feel the religious significance of Mary's act. Here sat
the Lord of Heaven, in the house of his friends, as the hour of his greatest
trials approached, with those who loved him knowing he was soon to face
betrayal and crucifixion. What act of love, of devotion, of adoration, of
worship, could a mere mortal perform for him who is eternal? Could a loved one
do more than David had said the Good Shepherd himself would do in conferring
honor and blessing upon another, that is: "Thou anointest my head with
oil"? (Ps. 23:5.)
"To anoint the head of a guest
with ordinary oil was to do him honor; to anoint his feet also was to show
unusual and signal regard; but the anointing of head and feet with spikenard,
and in such abundance, was an act of reverential homage rarely rendered even to
kings. Mary's act was an expression of adoration; it was the fragrant
outwelling of a heart overflowing with worship and affection." (Talmage,
p. 512.)
(Bruce R.
McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1965-1973], 1: 699.)
M E R I D I
A N M A G A Z I N E
Lesson 24
"This
Is Life Eternal"
John 16-17
by Bruce Satterfield, Brigham Young University - Idaho
Of
the various doctrines discussed in John 16-17, two are critical for Latter-day
Saints to understand: the gift of the Holy Ghost and how to gain eternal
life. These two chapters are the conclusion of the Savior’s mortal
ministry to the twelve. The setting for these important teachings is the
Last Supper.
The Gift of the Holy
Ghost
Shortly after the supper was concluded, the Savior had warned the twelve that
He would leave them (see John 14:1-3). But rather than question where He
was going, the apostles sorrowed for their loss (John 16:6). The Savior
promised that he would not leave them orphans (see John 14:18 footnote a) but
would return to them again (John 14:18-23). But in the mean time, He
would send them another Comforter, even the Holy Ghost.
In John 16, the Savior discussed the importance of the Holy Ghost in the lives
of the twelve, as well as all of God’s children who receive the ordinance that
initiates the gift of the Holy Ghost in their lives. At first he chided
the twelve for not asking where the Savior was going (16:5). But then He
gave them this promise: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for
you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you;
but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (16:7).
The Savior offered no explanation as to why the gift of the Holy Ghost had not
been given the twelve. Certainly they must have received the ordinance of
laying on of hands! But they had not experienced the actual reception and
would not until after the Savior’s ascension to heaven (see Acts 1-2).
The twelve had received manifestations of the Holy Ghost (see Matt.
16:13-17). But receiving a manifestation of the Holy Ghost and receiving
the gift of the Holy Ghost are two separate things. “We need to distinguish
between a manifestation of the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost,” said
Elder Dallin H. Oaks. “As men and women desire to believe, they develop faith
in God. (See Alma 32:26–43.) When they have enough faith, they can
receive a manifestation of the Holy Ghost.” Generally a manifestation of
the Holy Ghost is a witness of the truth of doctrines taught by the Lord’s
emissaries (see Moroni 10:4-5). Manifestations lead the follower to
baptism and confirmation. Citing the story of King Lamoni and his people,
Elder Oaks continued, “Here we see the power and witness of the Holy Ghost
poured out upon a woman and a man who had not yet been baptized. After
they and their followers were converted by this witness, they were baptized and
received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then, as the scripture records,
‘they became a righteous people’ and ‘the Lord did begin to pour out his Spirit
upon them.’ (Alma 19:35–36).” [1]
The gift of the Holy Ghost is an important phase of the Light of Christ that
is made available to all who come unto Christ through baptism. In his
masterful discourse on the Light of Christ, President Marion G. Romney taught:
“There are three phases of the light of Christ that I want to mention.
The first one is the light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the
world; The second phase is the gift of the Holy Ghost; And the third is the
more sure word of prophecy.” [2]
The first phase is given to all mankind. The second and third phases are
only available to those who have received certain prescribed ordinances.
The gift of the Holy Ghost is the first comforter while “the more sure word of
prophecy” has reference to the second comforter of Christ himself.
It appears that though living with the Savior during his mortal ministry, the
twelve were only under the influence of the first phase of the Light of
Christ. It was essential that they progress to the second phase, or gift
of the Holy Ghost. Then they would be prepared to receive Christ back
again in the third phase.
The Savior taught the twelve, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come,
he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but
whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to
come” (16:13). Without the gift of the Holy Ghost, understanding the
doctrines of the kingdom is not fully possible.
Elder Keith B. McMullin taught: “The Holy Ghost is the third member of the
Godhead, sent forth by God to reveal all needful things. He teaches and
testifies with divine power and clarity. His witness may go unheard or unheeded,
forsaken or denied, but it is never misunderstood. ‘The Holy Ghost is a
revelator’ (Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel.
Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 328). That which is received of him has a
more powerful effect upon the soul than anything else received in any other
way. A millennium of experience through sight, sound, touch, taste,
smell, and all the powers of the universe combined cannot approach the sublime
and complete experience of one brief moment under the influence of the Holy Ghost.” [3]
Because the twelve were without the gift of the Holy Ghost, they did not fully
comprehend the Savior or His mission. Consequently, they were not fully
ready to fulfill the divine commission to take the gospel to all the world (see
Acts 1:6-8).
Life Eternal is to Know
God
After the Savior concluded His teachings to the twelve, He “lifted up his eyes
to heaven” and offered what has become called “the great intercessory
prayer.” He began by recognizing that “the hour is come” for Him to
perform the great atoning sacrifice (17:1). He acknowledged that the
purpose of the Savior’s sacrifice was to “give eternal life” to all those who
would accept the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ (17:2).
But what is eternal life? How is it to be defined? President Ezra
Taft Benson stated: “Eternal life is the quality of life enjoyed by our
Heavenly Father. Those who fully comply with His commandments believe the
promise that they will have this quality of life.” [4]
Likewise, President Marion G. Romney explained: “Immortality connotes life
without end. Eternal life, on the other hand, connotes quality of
life—exaltation, the highest type of immortality, the kind of life enjoyed by
God himself.” [5]
Therefore, eternal life is the same as godhood. President Kimball
explained: “Life was to be in three segments or estates: pre‑mortal,
mortal, and immortal. The third stage would incorporate
exaltation–eternal life with godhood–for those who would fully magnify their
mortal lives.” [6]
How is eternal life gained? The answer was given in the Savior’s prayer:
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and
Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (17:3).
In the great King Follett discourse, Joseph Smith discussed the meaning of this
statement: “Here, then, is eternal life–to know the only wise and true God; and
you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to
God, the same as all Gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small
degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to
grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of
the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory,
as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power.” [7]
Coming to know God comes only through the atonement of Jesus Christ. The
atonement of Jesus Christ brings man at one with God in two ways. First,
it provides the means by which we are free from the eternal consequences of sin
and thus we become reconciled with God. Second, by enabling us to become
like God and thus “at one” with Him.
Oneness with God is more than just forgiven of sins. “To be redeemed,”
Elder Russell M. Nelson explained, “is to be atoned–received in the close
embrace of God with an expression not only of His forgiveness, but of our
oneness of heart and mind.” [8]
In the great intercessory prayer, the Savior prayed for such oneness between
God and all of his children who live in the world “but not of the world.”
He prayed, “Neither pray I for these [the apostles] alone, but for them also
which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one;
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” Continuing he plead,
“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one,
even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in
one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them,
as thou hast loved me” (17:20-23).
Gift of the Holy Ghost and
Oneness With God
Combining the two main topics of John 16-17, we see that it is not possible to
gain oneness with God without coming to understand the ways of God. And
one cannot understand the ways of God without the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Notes
[1] Dallin H. Oaks, “Spiritual Gifts,” Ensign, Sept. 1986, p.
68.
[2] Marion G. Romney, “The Light of Christ,” Ensign, May 1977,
p. 43.
[3] Keith B. McMullin, “Ye May Know,” Ensign, May 1996, p. 9.
[4] Ezra Taft Benson, Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson (Salt Lake
City: Bookcraft, 1988), p.26.
[5] Marion G. Romney, “The Worth of Souls,” Ensign, Nov. 1978,
p.14.
[6] Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness (Salt Lake
City: Bookcraft, 1969), p.4‑5
[7] Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. (Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book Press, 1938), p. 346.
[8] Russell M. Nelson, “The Atonement,” Ensign, Nov. 1996,
p.34.