A comment on Adam-ondi-Ahman
The description in D&C 107: 53 refers to Adam giving a blessing to "them." You have to determine to whom the word "them" refers.
I wrote elsewhere about Daniel and the way in which the Lord's appearance was veiled from others who were present, Daniel alone seeing the vision. The same is true of the Lord's contact with Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. Those with him did not have the same open vision.
When Joseph and Oliver saw the vision in the Kirtland Temple, they were behind a drawn canvas veil, and others were in the building. They didn't see what Joseph and Oliver saw.
In the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, the visions which were opened to some were not to others.
There was an inner group of high priests for whom the Lord's appearance would be appropriate and they are named. Naming means something. The rest are referred to as "the residue" and are not named.
These patterns are very real. They are set out in scripture because they are real. There is a great difference between being one of "the residue" of good people and being a clearly named high priest, particularly when you encounter the number of seven for the meeting. The number is also important, as I've explained in books I've written.
The picture people get into their heads is difficult to remove. But this process is dependent upon the preparation of the individual, not membership in a group. I've associated importance with elements of the revelation which others may not think important. I believe naming the seven, the number of them (seven), identifying them as high priests, calling those others "the residue" and leaving their names out of the narrative, and the overall setting takes this incident and puts it into the Daniel/Kirtland Temple/Apostle Paul category of visions of the Lord. Where some present are excluded and only a specific group or individual whose presence was specifically invited by the Lord, are permitted to stand in His presence.
It is a terrible thing to enter into the presence of the Living God. Not all who are righteous are prepared for that. Hence my reading of the verses.
She is right... it is important. I did read it in the comments, but many may have missed it. This is a great clarifying explanation for your previous thoughts on the experience at Adam-ondi-Ahman. Thank you comment Goddess.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post Denver. Very thought provoking. I have wondered about this quite a bit when coming across scriptures that state things like "...whether in the body or out of the body, I know not."
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite examples of this is in the PofGP chapter 2, where it says:
6 But I, Abraham, and Lot, my brother’s son, prayed unto the Lord, and the Lord appeared unto me, and said unto me: Arise, and take Lot with thee; for I have purposed to take thee away out of Haran, and to make of thee a minister to bear my name in a strange land which I will give unto thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession, when they hearken to my voice.
7 For I am the Lord thy God; I dwell in heaven; the earth is my footstool; I stretch my hand over the sea, and it obeys my voice; I cause the wind and the fire to be my chariot; I say to the mountains—Depart hence—and behold, they are taken away by a whirlwind, in an instant, suddenly.
8 My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee.
So Abraham and Lot are praying together and the Lord, Jehovah, appears to Abraham but not to Lot! Abraham goes on here to receive many wonderful blessings/promises of the Lord while physically in the presence of Lot but spiritually in the presence of the Lord.