I've explained the sealing authority in the last three chapters of Beloved Enos. An example of the Lord and His servant Enoch conversing, and the Lord requiring the sealing authority to be used is found in Moses 7: 6-7, which read as follows:
"And again the Lord said unto me: Look; and I looked towards the north, and I beheld the people of Canaan, which dwelt in tents. And the Lord said unto me: Prophesy; and I prophesied, saying: Behold the people of Canaan, which are numerous, shall go forth in battle array against the people of Shum, and shall slay them that they shall utterly be destroyed; and the people of Canaan shall divide themselves in the land, and the land shall be barren and unfruitful, and none other people shall dwell there but the people of Canaan;"
Enoch was shown the events, but the Lord required the voice of Enoch to speak and "prophesy" what was to happen. The voice of one holding this authority is the same as the Lord's own voice. (D&C 1: 38.) The "Word" needed to be employed, because it is by the "Word" that all things are established.
The "Word" comes through Christ, who has in Him all power and authority. It was and is through Him that others are called upon from heaven, given authority, and commissioned to speak and make the Word of God live again on the earth.
"Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation— 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." (D&C 93: 8-9.)
It was by employing the "Word" that the creation of this earth rolled into order at the direction of the "noble and great" souls who were the "Gods" or the "Elohim" in the beginning. As Abraham recorded:
"And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light; and there was light. And they (the Gods) comprehended the light, for it was bright; and they divided the light, or caused it to be divided, from the darkness. And the Gods called the light Day, and the darkness they called Night. And it came to pass that from the evening until morning they called night; and from the morning until the evening they called day; and this was the first, or the beginning, of that which they called day and night. And the Gods also said..." (Abr. 4: 3-6.)
It is through the Word, or sealing authority, spoken by one sent from God, that salvation and exaltation are made available to mankind. It was intended that this authority to speak in His name might belong to every man in this dispensation: "But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world; That faith also might increase in the earth; That mine everlasting covenant might be established;" (D&C 1: 20-22.) This was not to be a time when there would be a famine in hearing the Word of the Lord. (cf. Amos 8: 11.) Rather it was to be a time of great abundance, when every man would know the Lord. (Heb. 8: 11; D&C 84: 98.) This was to be the day when all would see visions and dream dreams, beholding the Lord. (JS-H 1: 41; Joel 2: 28.)
For some, this IS a day of great plenty. For others it remains a time of famine. The Lord spoke truly that in our day two shall be together, and the one taken but the other left. (Luke 17: 34-36; Matt. 24: 40-41; JS-M 1: 44-45.) And why are they not taken?
"Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson— That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness. That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man." (D&C 121: 35-37.)
Whenever men possess the "word" from God, they necessarily speak it in plainness. When men do not, history tells us they will assert the right to control, dominate and exercise authority over others to prevent the "word" from being spoken by anyone. This is the consistent pattern found among the Jews at the time of Christ; among the Catholics when they obtain political dominance; and it is the pattern that we must not repeat in our own dispensation. For we all share responsibility for how this turns out. Nephi's view of how we would perform was quite pessimistic. (2 Ne. 28: 20-29.) However, the group outcome needn't ever be the individual's outcome, even in Nephi's prophetic "word" about our day. (2 Ne. 28: 14.)
Speaking more specifically about the "Word," is there any correlation between the "word" that is spoken and the frequency/vibrations the "word" is spoken at?
ReplyDeleteNot sure if that makes sense...but when the scriptures speak of the "word of the Lord came to me...", is that the actual voice of the Lord that the elements recognize as His voice, or do the elements recognize the message and act according?
For example, when Enoch commanded rivers and mountains to be moved, were they (the mountains, elements, etc) moved because Enoch had the "power," or because the elements recognized the voice whereby they were being commanded (i.e. Enoch's words were "in tune" with the Lord such that they were recognized as the Lord's)? Or, is it a mix of the two or something entirely different?
Not sure if that makes any sense at all.
That makes sense, Tom. Great question. Wish I knew the answer :)
ReplyDeleteAlso from Abraham 4
ReplyDelete18 And the Gods watched those things which they had ordered until they obeyed.
Doesn't the sealing power or the authority to speak God's words for Him have to be conferred by ordinance? Can't men who have this power on earth regardless of their church office, confer it or give the rights to it to another (like an apostolic ordination)? Do we actually need an ordination to receive the sealing power or ability to speak and record for the Lord here on earth? Or maybe it's conferred on many and we don't know it? And can there be more than one priesthood group operating in the last days? Why?
ReplyDeleteAnswer to above comment: I think the elements hear and obey the word of God as spoken thru His servant. Thats why it is so important to get on a level where the Lord can speak thru us... actually using us to do His work here on earth... which is what the priesthood is for.
26 Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!
ReplyDeleteI suffered a life-changing injury; a patriarch came to my home to give me a blessing. He told me that the Lord spoke audibly to him and commanded him to heal me three times as he traveled to my home, but that he could not pronounce such a blessing. Similarly, my doctor, a fine member of the church, said that no miracle was possible because their was no natural way for the healing to take place. My Bishop's wife said, "We cannot expect the blessings of the Lord until after we have done all things that we can do, including replacing smashed joints with titanium and so forth." My extended family and friends all claimed that it was irresponsible to hope for a healing. I had prayed and sought to have sufficient faith to become whole again for 12 years, yet I walk with a titanium hip because of my own lack of faith to call down these blessings for myself and because as a people we simply don't believe in such things anymore.
I cannot help but wonder if we are similar to the people in Joseph Smith's day who drew near unto the Lord with their lips, but denied His power.
Certainly the precepts of men would teach of the great blessings of modern medicine, and to look to a 50 thousand dollar surgery rather than exercise faith in the priesthood, a power that can raise people from the dead, cause the blind to see, the maimed to become whole, and even greater.
Certainly to agree as a membership that we should not seek such blessings is denying the power of God among us and condemns us to a lessor existence.
How many other examples exist wherein we have fallen in love with the precepts of men and have ceased to call upon God's power with any true authority or power or have denied the power of the Holy Ghost?
Is it easier to be eneamic saints, or to be pure, virtuous, holy, and filled with God's power?
I'm grateful for the inconvenience I've suffered that has caused me to become more responsible personally for not denying God's power in my life. I'm grateful for a process that enables me more toward the path and outcome of Enos and his people.
Where are those today who raise the dead, heal the maimed, cause the blind to see? It is an exciting time to live. Denver, perhaps I'll grow a beard and join you, head to Sturgis and celebrate the possibility of the priesthood returning to its wild, native, and powerful state:)
A strange thing in the land, indeed. A wild man is among us...
ReplyDeleteAll scriptural examples show the sealing power comes from beyond the veil. There is one exception, but even there Elijah was in the process of being caught up and, therefore, was also beyond the veil when he conferred it upon Elisha.
The church claims it can be conferred and passed about by mortal to mortal.
I was wondering if sealing power can be given without any ordination from man who has it or an angel or the Lord (ie can it be conferred without a man receiving laying on of hands). angels can also ordain, or you can be ordained on the otherside of the veil. But can one who actually has the sealing power upon him, confer it to someone else if the spirit directs? Like the 2A, but i guess you can be given the "office" of K&P, but it's still up to the man to fulfill his office or apointment.
ReplyDeleteIn deed, those in the KNOW are usually cast out as a strange thing in the land! Many times by your own loved ones.
So far as the scriptures explain the process, it comes from the voice of God or an angel sent by Him. D&C 77: 11 also ties it to angels who hold the keys to this ministry.
ReplyDeleteWe are practicing in the Temple to receive the real thing. We are not receiving the real thing there. We are told that directly as part of the ceremony. We are cautioned that if we are true and faithful to the covenants we enter into, the time will come when we will be called up, chosen and anointed, whereas now we are only anointed to BECOME such. The realization of these blessings is dependent upon our faithfulness, not upon our holding a recommend and getting our names enrolled in preparatory, practice ordinances. The ordinances are a revelation about the real process. They are symbols. They point the way. But we have to follow the way and receive the blessings, promises, etc. from heaven. The Holy Spirit of Promise, as explained in Section 132 is involved. I've explained this in The Second Comforter.
When you say "sealing power" are you talking about "sealers" that do ordinance work in the temple? or are you talking about the fullness of the priesthood....with the ability/power to control even the elements? (Like Nephi son of Heleman.)
ReplyDeleteI've explained the subject of sealing in the last three chapters of Beloved Enos. I'm speaking of that authority which seals on earth and in heaven, which comes from heaven.
ReplyDelete