Forty is a symbol

The number 40 appears in a several different places in the scriptures, almost always in the context of purging or purification. When the Lord destroyed the wicked at the time of Noah, He caused it "to rain upon the earth for forty days and forty nights." (Genesis 7:4.) When Moses met with the Lord on the Mount, he was in the presence of the Lord "forty days and forty nights" (Exodus 24:18.) When Israel proved unprepared to inherit the promised land, the Lord left them in the wilderness for forty years. (Deuteronomy 8:2.)

Elijah was fed by an angel before being sent into the wilderness. After the meal, Elijah "went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God." (1 Kings 19:8.) In preparation for His ministry, the Lord likewise "fasted forty days and forty nights." (Matthew 4:2.) That preparation culminated in angels ministering to the Him. (Matthew 4:11.)

In these examples, it is not a man volunteering or choosing to afflict his soul for forty days. The period of purification is imposed by the Lord. We do not get the choose to be purified through suffering for a period of forty days, or forty years, or any other amount of time. However, if the Lord chooses to purify a soul, and that suffering does last for forty days, you can take it as a sign that the purification was given of God.

I know people have tried to voluntarily afflict themselves for forty days. I think an effort like that shows a poor understanding of how God deals with man. We wait on Him. We submit to Him. Then He alone chooses.

Lehi's Priesthood

There is a key verse which passes by quickly. It establishes an important identity for Lehi. The verse confirms that Lehi saw God the Father sitting on His throne. (1 Ne. 1: 8.) In other words, Lehi beheld the face of God, the Father. This key verse identifies Lehi's authority.

Following immediately after this view of the Father, sitting on His throne, Christ descended in His glory and ministered to him. His glory was above the brightness of the sun. (1 Ne. 1: 11-13.)

After Christ ministered to him, Lehi put the Father's activities into perspective, declaring "unto the Lord: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty!" (1 Ne. 1: 13.)

He saw the face of the Father. He was ministered to by the Son. This cannot occur unless Lehi had the highest form of priesthood. This is required for a man to see the face of the Father and live. (D&C 84: 19-22.)


Lehi required priesthood: "without... the authority of the priesthood, and the power of godliness...no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live." (D&C 84: 21-22.) Lehi saw Him. Therefore part of the ministry of Christ to him necessarily included conferring priesthood.

Joseph Smith explained it like this: "All Priesthood is Melchizedek, but there are different portions or degrees of it. That portion which brought Moses to speak with God face to face was taken away; but that which brought the ministry of angels remained. All the prophets had the Melchizedek Priesthood and were ordained by God himself.” (TPJS, pp. 180–81.)

In Lehi we have an instance of an Old Testament era prophet being "ordained by God himself" in the very first chapter of the Book of Mormon.

The phrasing in verse 8 ("he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne") is an art form, or a formula. Alma would later use the same phrasing. (Alma 36: 22.) The best way to understand this formulation is found in Paul's writings: "whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell; God knoweth." (2 Cor. 12: 2.) Similarly, Joseph Smith's encounter in the First Vision was either in the body or not, and during the vision he became physically incapacitated. (JS-H 1: 20: "When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven.") Daniel also physically collapsed when the Lord visited with him. (Dan. 10: 5-19.)

How much that book teaches us! It is only our neglect which renders it unable to teach us the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This is only the first chapter of the book (1 Ne. 1) and it has an example of a vision of God the Father sitting on His throne, and the Lord Jehovah ministering to and strengthening a prophet of God! What great promise this book holds indeed if that is only the first chapter! Perhaps we should take it more seriously. (D&C 84: 54-57.) No wonder President Packer can lament in General Conference about the absence of priesthood power in the church. (The Power of the Priesthood.)

Luke 1: 8-9

Luke 1: 8-9 refers to Zacharias (father of John the Baptist) officiating in the priest's office.

"And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord."

Those who were outside knew how long it would take to burn incense and offer the morning prayer, therefore when too much time had passed they were troubled by the delay. (Luke 1: 21.)

The prayer he offered was set, given each day as part of offering incense in the Holy Place, and is as follows:

True it is that Thou art Jehovah our God, and the God of our fathers; our King of our fathers, our Saviour and the Saviour of our fathers; our Maker and the Rock of our salvation; our Help and our Deliverer. Thy name is from everlasting and there is no God beside Thee. A new song did they that were delivered sing to Thy name by the seashore; together did all praise and own Thee as King, and say, Jehovah shall reign who saveth Israel.

Be graciously pleased, Jehovah our God, with Thy people Israel, and with their prayer. Restore the service to the oracle of Thy house; and the burnt-offerings of Israel and their prayer accept graciously and in love; and let the service of Thy people Israel be ever well-pleasing unto Thee.

We praise Thee, who art Jehovah our God, and the God of our fathers, the God of all flesh, our Creator, and the Creator from the beginning! Blessing and praise be unto Thy great and holy name, that Thou hast preserved us in life and kept us. So preserve us and keep us, and gather the scattered ones into Thy holy courts, to keep Thy statutes, and to do Thy good pleasure, and to serve Thee with our whole heart, as this day we confess unto Thee. Blessed be the Lord, unto who belongeth praise.

Appoint peace, goodness, and blessing; grace, mercy and compassion for us, and for all Israel Thy people. Bless us, O our Father, all of us as one, with the light of Thy countenance. For in the light of Thy countenance has Thou, Jehovah, our God, given us the law of life, and loving mercy, and righteousness, and blessing, and compassion, and life, and peace. And may it please Thee to bless Thy people Israel at times, and at every hour with Thy peace. Blessed be Thou, Jehovah, who blessest Thy people Israel with peace. (Alfred Edersheim, The Temple, Its Ministry and Services, pp. 128-29.)

When the angel appeared and said, "Fear not, Zacharias; for thy prayer is heard" (Luke 1: 13), the prayer asked for "the light of [God's] countenance" to shine again upon Israel. The promised son (to be named "John"--Luke 1: 13) was to "go before him in the spirit and power of Elias." (Luke 1: 17.) The One before whom John was to go was "the light of [God's] countenance" or, in other words, Jehovah. John was to be Elias to precede and prepare the way for Jehovah.

Following his birth, John was "ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power." (D&C 84: 28.) He prepared the way, was imprisoned and beheaded. Then he appeared with Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration. (JST-Mark 9: 4; Matt. 17: 2-3, 13.) Moses opened, and John closed, the prior dispensation and met with Christ as the founder of the new dispensation.

John was as great a prophet as ever lived. The Lord said he was "more than a prophet." (Luke 7: 24-28.) Foretold in  prophecy, born to bring "the light of God's countenance" back to Israel, fulfilling an angel's promise, named by heaven, ordained at eight days, sent to close one and open another dispensation, slain for his testimony, and then called to minister as an angel to the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration, John was "more than a prophet."

The Prophetic and the Priestly

There are two approaches to preserving a belief system. Scholars refer to these as "sophic" and "mantic," but the scriptural language would be "the priestly" and "the prophetic."

Priests deal with rites, ordinances, commandments and procedures. This durable approach to preserving a belief system allows a dispensation of the Gospel to continue to have a presence, long after a founder has died. Moses, for example, established a system of rites and observances which then became the religious fare of priests who perpetuated the system from the time of Moses until the coming of Christ.

Prophets deal with God and angels. They receive new insight, promises and covenants. Their conduct can even appear to violate the traditions of the religion they follow, but that is only because they are not bound to the tradition as practiced by the priests. Instead they have penetrated into the underlying meaning, the original power, the purpose of the rites.

Dispensations are founded by those who combine both traditions. Moses was a prophet, and established priestly rites. Christ was a prophet and more, and He also established priestly rites. Similarly, Joseph Smith was an authentic Dispensation Head who was both a prophet and established priestly rites.

The reason an apostasy can be concealed from the view of religious believers is because they confuse the presence of continuing priestly tradition with both. They do not notice the prophetic presence has left. Concealing the fact that the prophetic presence is gone is possible because priests focus on authority and make that idea the central, even controlling issue for salvation.

Catholics held a monopoly for a thousand years using the idea of "keys from St. Peter" as the foundation upon which the religion was built. Not until the eastern Orthodox faith departed was there any choice to be made between "keys" in Rome and "keys" in Constantinople. It took Martin Luther to finally peel away the fraud of "keys" independent from righteousness. His expositions on the "priesthood of faith" allowed a divorce between claims of priestly "keys" and faith in God.

It took Martin Luther's revolution in thinking several hundred years to create a religious landscape where Joseph Smith and a new Dispensation of the Gospel could be introduced. These things move slowly because mankind is generally imprisoned by their traditions and are incapable of seeing the difference between the priestly and the prophetic traditions. This blindness becomes the tool through which the priestly tradition controls mankind.

Priestly tradition is stable, authoritarian, controlling, focused on outward conduct, amasses wealth, power and prestige. Priestly tradition can continue in the absence of spirit, revelation or even godliness. Priestly tradition can become the friend of government, business and empires, and can work hand-in-hand with the powers of this world.

Prophetic tradition is unruly, unpredictable, and challenges the god of this world. It cannot work with the powers of this world, but strikes at its authority. It cannot exist without the direct involvement of God and angels and it cannot be divorced from continuing revelation.

You can have both without an apostasy. You can have the prophetic without an apostasy. You can have a priestly tradition exist without an apostasy, but that is much less likely. In any complete apostasy, the presence of the priestly tradition is essential to be able to accomplish the "trick" referred to in the post yesterday.

Patience

I was recently in a discussion with a fellow regarding the topic of patience.

Moses spent 40 years in the Pharaoh's courts. He apparently knew most of that time that he was to deliver Israel out of bondage. He killed the Egyptian, in part, because of his knowledge he would one day deliver them. Stephen explained, just prior to his martyrdom, the story of Moses. Stephen declared that Moses knew his calling from God made him the deliverer of Israel. (Acts 7: 24-25.) Moses presumed the Israelites would recognize him as the one promised to deliver them. He killed the Egyptian to identify himself to the Israelites. They were unimpressed, did not recognize him, and rejected his claim.

 

Seeing he had been rejected and betrayed by the Israelites, Moses fled for his life. (Acts 7: 26-29.)

 

Then, after another 40 years passed while he made a new life for himself in the wilderness, the "voice of the Lord" came to him and called him at last to perform as Israel's deliverer. (Acts 7: 30-34.)

 

Moses knew his mission from his youth. But when he attempted on his own to begin that mission, his attempt failed. He was nearly killed for it and had to flee for his life.

 

After 40 years spent in the wilderness of Sinai, the time came and Moses was commissioned directly by the Lord to go forward.

 

WE control nothing. WE have no right to move the Lord's hand. We may ask, but He alone commands. Timing is entirely the Lord's. Although we may know what we have been assigned to do, it is the Lord alone who will decide when the assignment can be performed.

 

Christ wanted to begin His Father's work at 12. (Luke 2: 41-49.)  It would be another 18 years before the Lord would be permitted to begin. In the interim, He "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-Matt. 3: 24-26.) Although fully prepared for "many years" before, the Lord "waited" on His Father for 18 years.

 

If Moses waited 40 years, and produced only disaster when he attempted to begin his mission early, and Christ waited "many years" for "the hour of his ministry to draw nigh," then what possible reason can any of us give for refusing to submit in patience to the Lord's timing for our  lives, mission, ministry, assignments and calling?

 

Among the many lessons of mortality, Christ learned patience. (Heb. 5: 8.) How arrogant must we be to presume we can tell better than the Lord when a blessing should come? How little understanding would we get if the Lord responded to our impatience and excused us from the necessity to first learn this noble trait of patience?

3 Nephi 12: 8

3 Nephi 12: 8:

"And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

This is a remarkable promise. Would you like to see God? Then first purify your heart.

Notice this is not just ritual purity, which had been the focus of the Law of Moses. Christ is replacing earlier ritual based purity with internal purity. 

He speaks about the heart, rather than the hands and feet. Christ is speaking about beholding God, unlike the retreat Israel took from the offered opportunity at Sinai. (See D&C 84: 22-25.) He is returning to the time of Moses, when a higher way might have been chosen.

Purity of the heart is a borrowed benefit from the Savior. Man cannot become clean before God without the necessary offering of a sacrifice. The Law of Moses taught this, but Christ would actually bring it to pass. (See, e.g., Alma 34: 36.)

Christ's atonement cleanses us. (Alma 13: 11; Ether 13: 10.)

When we repent we turn to Christ and listen to and follow Him. Until then, we are not even facing the right direction in life.  

Some reminders of how the heart may be purified:

-Let virtue constantly prevail in your thoughts. (D&C 121: 45.)

-Pray to the Father with a devoted heart. (Moroni 7: 48.)

-Repent and call upon God with a contrite spirit, asking the atonement to be applied to your sins. (Mosiah 4: 2.)

-Fast and pray often, that you may become humble. (Helaman 3: 35.)

-Follow what light you have to receive more light, until you have the "perfect day" in which you are a vessel of light. (D&C 50: 24; D&C 93: 28.)

It is also interesting that what must be "pure" is the "heart." There are so many other things one might measure. But what the Lord looks upon to determine purity is the "heart."

I've said that there is almost nothing about us that can become perfect in this life. The only thing that can approach perfection, however, is our intent. We can mean to follow God at all times. Even if the dilemmas of life make it impossible to actually do so, we can still intend to follow Him. We may not even know if what we are doing pleases Him, or how to resolve conflicting interests or commandments. We may even be making a mistake, but if our intent is right, our hearts may be pure.

This is also one of the reasons we cannot judge another. They may be weak, foolish and error prone, but if they intend to be doing the right then God alone can measure their heart and decide whether they are approved. It would take a God to know if the person's life, training, understanding and intent are pure before Him. I suspect there are those we look upon as deluded and even evil but the Lord views them with compassion and understanding. He may find their hearts to be perfect even before the heart of the proud who claim they have and follow the truth. Though a person may misunderstand a great deal, still if they have love for their fellow man, relieve suffering where they can, give patience to the foolish and water to the thirsty, they may be perfect before God. (Luke 18: 9-14.)

There are so many illusions here. Some who are regarded as high and lifted up by God, temperate in their conduct, studying how they are seen by others before acting; are in fact wretched, miserable, poor and naked. (Rev. 3: 14-17.) I say with authority that there are some regarded as the very chiefest of the righteous among the Latter-day Saints who are before God wretched, miserable, poor and naked. They cannot survive even a glance from His all seeing eye. Yet they pretend they share in His vision, when they do not.

How few hearts are pure before God. How rare a thing it is to contemplate such a person. How few we produce in this restoration of the Gospel. We remain as a people too low, too mean, too vulgar, too condescending to be called of God. No wonder we stumble and fall backward and many are taken in snares. (Isa. 8: 11-17.)

3 Nephi 11: 21

3 Nephi 11: 21:

"And the Lord said unto him: I give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people when I am again ascended into heaven."

Notice the Lord does not touch Nephi. He speaks the words. The Lord's word is sovereign. If the Lord speaks it, it is so. It is not necessary for the Lord to lay hands on the servant He has just called, only that He speak the words of commission which give the servant "power."

Notice that it is "power" and not authority. It is the "power" to baptize "this people" which is granted Nephi. Why would "power" be required for a man to be able to baptize? What if the man possessed "authority" to baptize, but lacked any "power" in his priesthood? Is "authority" anything if it lacks "power?" What is the difference? Can a church spread about the "authority" to do ordinances if that church lacks "power" to do so?

Why are "that the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven?" (D&C 121: 36.) If indeed all rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, can a man who has never felt, experienced or had any connection with heaven hold any power? Hold any priesthood? What connection did Nephi have with heaven the instant the Lord spoke to Nephi the words: "I give unto you power"?

Why is it that "the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness?" What about ambitious men who view holding an office in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as entitling them to direct, preside, control and dictate to others? What are the "principles of righteousness?"  

Now, I ask those questions not to give people reason to rebel against those who preside over them. It is not for us to weigh, measure or respond with accusations against those in positions of authority. I feel a great sympathy and pray for them. However, I offer it as a self-governing, introspective question to anyone who has any calling, family position or power over another person. Whether it is in church, or at work, or in the family, or elsewhere, the way we deal with others ought to be informed by the same standards as use of priestly authority. But these things are for internal use, not as a measuring stick to be applied critically against others.

Often we are able to see clearly the errors of others, but are completely unable to see our own glaring errors. This is why I have said repeatedly that the Gospel is for internal application only, and not for external use in judging others.

In the case of Nephi, he already held power, did he not? He had preached the Gospel, used words having such power that listeners could not disbelieve them, raised his brother from the dead, and cast out devils.  (3 Nephi 7: 17-19.) Despite all this, Nephi was called forward to receive from the Lord power to baptize?  Why? Why if he already had such great power as to be able to raise the dead, did he need a new grant of power to baptize?

Does the possession of authority in one dispensation (Moses') continue into another dispensation (Meridian of Time)? When a new dispensation of the Gospel opens, does authority need to be conferred by angels (or the Lord) in the new dispensation? Without a commission from Christ, could Nephi continue his ministry into the new dispensation?  Why not? Did the end of the prior dispensation of carnal commandments require a new delivery of power to those serving into this era of a new covenant?  (Hebrews 8: 13.)

Does the Lord's reference to "when [He is] again ascended into heaven" reveal anything to Nephi? To us? Does it confirm the Lord's status, power and right? Does it confirm, also, the Lord will be leaving the Nephites again? Does it reestablish what they saw when He first appeared, that He now belongs to heaven? Do we need to keep that in mind as well?

3 Nephi 11

3 Nephi 11

I have always wanted to do something with Christ's sermons to the Nephites. It seems to me that we've been running through prophecies and warnings which serve one purpose, and leaving another one neglected. Balance requires us to return to another important purpose of the Book of Mormon. Namely, testifying that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of Israel and the whole world.

So for that part, we'll turn attention to Christ's Nephite sermons.

I've already dealt with what I have termed the "Ceremony of Recognition" involved in Christ's initial appearance. That is covered in The Second Comforter and won't be repeated here. So I'm going to skip to verses 3 Nephi 11: 18-20.

"And it came to pass that he spake unto Nephi (for Nephi was among the multitude) and he commanded him that he should come forth. And Nephi arose and went forth, and bowed himself before the Lord and did kiss his feet.  And the Lord commanded him that he should arise. And he arose and stood before him."

The Lord has appeared, is identified and recognized by those who were at the Bountiful Temple. (This is probably an open air temple much like what we find in the Parowan Gap. If you consider the entirety of the description, it is not likely a closed structure like we build.) And those who are there have engaged in an Hosanna shout. (3 Nephi 11: 17.) When the ceremony has ended and the place has become sanctified by His presence, and the body there recognizes and accepts Him as who and what He is, the stage has been set for a further ceremonial event.

Christ speaks to Nephi. He calls his name. Important stuff. Being called by name by the Son of God! Now we're seeing something really important. For those whose names are called by God are not merely being addressed. They are, the instant the Lord calls out their name, "called." That is, the Lord will never speak one's name to them unless He calls them to a work. So when we read that the Lord speaks to Nephi we know the Lord has both called Nephi's name and called the bearer of that name to do a work. Nephi knew it. The crowd knew it. All present would have understood that Nephi just became the chief prophet of those present.

Nephi is told to "come forth." It instantly puts us in mind of Lazarus being called forth from the tomb. (John 11: 43.) Like Lazarus, who rose from the dead by the speaking of those words, Nephi now goes forth to a new life. Resurrected from his prior status and put into a minister's role by the Lord of all mankind.

Called, commanded to "come forth," and endowed immediately with the Lord's anointing voice, which bestows power and authority upon a man, (see, e.g., D&C 132: 46) Nephi arises from his kneeling position and steps forward.

Every knee remains bowed except Nephi's. For a brief moment, as he walks forward, he alone, of all those assembled in the crowd, is the one who stands in the presence of the Lord. (c.f., Luke 1: 19). Others kneel, Nephi stands. It is honor, glory and privilege being displayed in this ceremony. Christ as King and Lord calls, His chief servant rises while all others remain kneeling. We are getting informed about the Lord and His ways in detailed ceremony conveying vast information in passing movement. It is too wonderful for words.

Nephi knows what he must do. For the servant who has been called to stand above his peers must then descend below them. Pride is unthinkable when in the presence of such a meek and humble figure as our Lord. It is required that the balance be restored. Nephi, who has been made to rise, must on his own choose to descend and abase himself. Those who seek their own glory will fall, while those who seek to humble themselves will rise again. So Nephi does what any person filled with light and truth would do in these circumstances. He comes to the Lord, falls below all, and descends to kiss the Master's feet. He kneels again, bows to the ground. And in an ultimate sign of humility, he kisses His feet, which on any other being is the symbol of uncleanliness itself. Nephi can do nothing more to show his own submission to the Lord. He can do nothing further in ceremonial activity to say he is nothing and the Lord is everything. He can show no greater respect and gratitude. Here is a servant indeed. A chief servant to the Servant of servants! A Master and servant whose hearts are alike. Nephi is, above all else, showing to us all how we ought be.

The gentiles love those who rule over and exploit them. (Matt. 20: 25.)  But Christ's true followers do not crave chief seats. They desire to serve. They will hold others up, even if it requires them to descend below to lift them. Nephi is not a gentile, nor one who would ever exercise unrighteous dominion over others. (D&C 121: 39.)

The ceremony now requires the abased to respond to the Lord's command again. Nephi is commanded to "arise." It was not enough to "come forth" to the new life. Now, having been chosen, Nephi must also "arise." It is a terrible burden. How can man "arise?" How can a man assume his position alongside His Lord? How can one who feels more suited to kneel and kiss his Master's feet, rise up and look his Lord in the face? It is all too much. One hardly can bear the burden and difficulty to "arise" when it is the Lord's own countenance you must confront. Too much. Too difficult. Too heavy a burden to lay upon mere man. How does Nephi dare to respond to the command to "arise?"

Through the swirling anxiety following the command, Nephi doesn't have the strength to do so until the realization that "arising" is the Master's will. It is the Master's command. It can be done through faith in Him. For He gives no command without having prepared the means to accomplish it. (1 Nephi 3: 7.) It must be possible for Nephi to actually arise. Though a lifetime's dread and remorse says to remain on your knees, it is the Master's will that you nonetheless arise. And so you begin the dreadful effort, and your trembling knees respond. To your own surprise you find it possible to arise and look into the face of Him who is compassion itself. There can be no pride in this, for rising is by His command, and not by your own will. You may want to join in Moses' chorus that "for this cause you know man is nothing!" (Moses 1: 10.)  But it isn't necessary to voice the thought. It is enough to understand the thought.

No man assumes this honor for himself. He must be called by God to stand in His presence. 

And so Nephi arose, and stood before His Lord.

3 Nephi 20: 24

3 Nephi 20: 24:

"Verily I say unto you, yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have testified of me."

The Lord chose and established Israel. He would remain committed to them, although they went whoring after other gods.

Moses held the fullness of the priesthood. He conferred blessings upon others. Although Moses was taken from Israel, the blessings of the priesthood remained. Moses blessed Joshua, and Joshua held the blessings of the priesthood for so long as he lived. But the fullness of the priesthood, that portion which permitted a man to see God face to face, was taken with Moses. (D&C 84: 20-25.)

When Joshua died, both the priesthood that left with Moses, and the blessings from that priesthood were lost. What remained thereafter was a lesser form of priesthood called the Levitical or Aaronic Priesthood.  This continued to be ministered from Moses until Jesus Christ.

The prophets, however, were something different.  They came through diverse families and from unexpected places. They were not part of the leading Levitical families and not even from that tribe on occasion. Their priesthood was not reckoned by what was then on the earth, but was given to them directly from heaven itself. Joseph Smith taught: "All priesthood is Melchizedek, but there are different portions or degrees of it. That portion which brought Moses to speak with God face to face was taken away; but that which brought the ministry of angels remained. All the prophets had the Melchizedek Priesthood and were ordained by God himself" (TPJS, pp. 180-81).

The men who held the higher form of priesthood, the fullness that made it possible for them to behold God face to face, were "all the prophets from Samuel and those that followed after." Having this form of priesthood they could behold God face to face and live. (D&C 84: 22-23.)

The power to see God face to face is not real if the man does not actually behold God face to face. It is powerless. It is theory. It is a notion and not a reality. This priesthood the revelation speaks about is not a theoretical idea, but an actual, real power which allows the person holding it to behold God and live. Therefore, when Christ states that "all the prophets from Samuel and those that followed after" had "testified of [Christ]" this is more than rhetoric. They became prophets by reason of the Lord having appeared and spoken to them; having testified of Himself to them. Therefore their status as prophets and their witness of Him were coequal. They sprang from the very same thing - the same event. This, then, formed the basis for their service as the Lord's prophets. They knew Him. They could testify of what they knew, heard and saw, rather than what they believed to be true from what others had said. God had made Himself known to them.

Christ was confirming that these prophets had testified of Him because He was the one who had called them. He was the one who qualified them. He was the one whose witness and message they bore to others. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy! (Rev. 19: 10.) Here He confirms again that those prophets sent by Him have testified they know Him. They do not testify of themselves, but of Him. They do not point to themselves, but they point to Him. They do not promise salvation through themselves, but invite others to come to Christ and be saved. They will understate rather than overstate their calling and standing before God.

2 Nephi 31: 2

2 Nephi 31: 2:

"Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying."

Nephi has been pondering for over four decades about the great revelations given to him in the Arabian Peninsula. (2 Nephi 4: 16 and 2 Nephi 5: 34.) His creation of, and inscription on the plates were after these long deliberations and reflections.

When he says "the things which I have written sufficeth me," he is putting a punctuation mark on his plates. He is saying he has finished his ministry, finished his prophecy. He has refined and set out his message in a deliberate, careful way. These books of Nephi are not internet blogs undertaken daily. They are not rapid-fire responses, nor stream-of-consciousness statements. They were planned for the ages. Born from pondering, inspired by revelation, described as prophecy by the author, and filled with light and truth if considered with care by any reader. Nephi's pronouncement that they "sufficeth me" is a powerful statement by an aging prophet.

Years of preparation and reflection allow him to "speak plainly" to us. There's no need to be vague. No reason to hide our plight from us. He wants us to understand. When he attempts to "speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying," we read into it the wrong definitions, associate his words with others who will never read the book, and consider ourselves blessed and vindicated instead of condemned, and called to repentance. We do that a lot. What good is it to read things which tell you to be proud?  Why follow a religion that tells you you've no reason to repent? Everyone but you is going to hell, right? (Alma 31: 17-18.) Because so long as you remain affiliated with the broad mainstream of your church, God will save you. And if there's any hint of error, He will beat you with a few stripes and all will be well. Nephi has already condemned that as an error, hasn't he? (2 Nephi 28: 8.)

If his words were plain and intended to be taken at face value, why read into them justification for yourself and your sins? Why think they condemn everyone but you?  Why are they speaking in disparaging terms about those who will never have the book? Why did Nephi write a book condemning only those who will never read it? Surely, if he was in fact "plain" in his meaning, then we ought not read anything into it other than what it says and how it says it. It must be a message to us.

If it is addressed to us, then we have more than one "wo" pronounced upon us by Nephi. We have been warned. We need to change what we are doing. The gentiles with whom we are identified (D&C 109: 60) are collectively condemned. We need to separate ourselves by our behavior from theirs. We need to repent.

Now, just in case you think, as a recent comment has asserted, that the Lord has sent another message vindicating us as a collective gentile body/church in D&C 1: 30, I would remind you that revelation came from the Lord in 1831. In the following year the Lord gave another revelation that put the church under condemnation. (D&C 84: 54-58.) We know that condemnation was not lifted, because of President Benson and Elder Oaks. 

More troubling still is the Lord's threat to reject the gentile church altogether in January of 1841 if the church did not follow His strict appointment and complete building a temple in the time He provided. (D&C 124: 31-32.) The warning was given that even if the temple were built, we would still be condemned if we failed to do what He said. (D&C 124: 47-48.)

Did we keep the appointment given us? The Nauvoo Temple was not completed before Joseph Smith died. The endowment was not completed by Joseph, but Brigham Young was told he had to finish it. (See this post dated June 30 titled 1 Nephi 13: 33-34.) Did we keep the appointment? Have we been able to avoid being rejected as a church? Have our covenants been fulfilled?

Why do we repeat endlessly the praise from 1831 but ignore the threatened rejection that came in 1841? From January of 1841, until Joseph's death in June of 1844, we had three and a half years to complete the Nauvoo Temple. Was that "sufficient time" to do what was required of us? If so, we did not complete it. Why was Joseph taken?  Was that any indication about when the "sufficient time" expired? If so, what then?  Where would that leave us?

Is our best hope to be found in the messages and warnings of the Book of Mormon? Can there be gentiles found who will believe its message? How carefully ought we study it?

Did you know the church had almost no use for the Book of Mormon until Hugh Nibley's efforts? (You know that if you've read Eighteen Verses.) Hugh Nibley, by his efforts beginning in the 1950's, practically discovered the Book of Mormon for the church. He's gone now.

Even though Moses was taken from ancient Israel, and with him the authority of the priesthood, (see D&C 84: 25-26) the ancient Israelites remained the Lord's people. He still worked through them and sent them messengers from time to time. These messengers were rarely the High Priest. Although in Samuel's case he displaced the High Priest.  (1 Samuel 3: 1-21.) They were sent from time to time. Their qualifications were private, as the Lord told Moses they would be. (Numbers 12: 6.) I have no doubt Hugh Nibley was sent to us. If you've paid close attention, his departure has created an intellectual collapse at the center of the faith, with various egos contending to be noticed. They aspire to put upon them Hugh Nibley's mantle. They are not made of the same stuff, called with the same calling, nor endowed with the same capacities.

I doubt we'll see someone like him again. Perhaps we may someday see someone with an equally important message, but among those born in this dispensation, there is none to compare to Brother Nibley.

Well, now we're off-point again. So back to Nephi...

2 Nephi 29: 8

2 Nephi 29: 8:

 

"Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also."

 

Why would anyone complain or murmur because God has spoken? We do. Somehow we get offended at the very idea God can or has spoken further. It is disturbing. It requires us to learn more, and may require us to change. It is inconvenient. It is troubling.

 

But new information from God should always be welcomed. It should be exciting and delightful, even if it requires us to change.

 

Not only does the Lord remember all nations, but He "speaks the same words unto one nation like unto another." Meaning two things:  First, the records are going to agree on doctrine, ordinances and practice. There will not be some shocking departure from what we have already learned. But, second, we may find that other records have done a better job of preserving deeper insight into the history or truths than have we.

 

At one time the record written by Moses contained what is now in the Pearl of Great Price. At one time the record written by Abraham also found in the Pearl of Great Price was among the Biblical record. However, they were lost until they were restored through Joseph Smith. At one time the Biblical record contained the prophecies of Zenos and Zenock, only a small portion of which are still available through the Book of Mormon.

 

Although the records will agree, that does not mean there will not be significant additions to our understanding as a result of these becoming available. Even the record of the Nephites is sealed, and that of the Jaredites only partially translated. (Ether 1: 4-5.) Joseph and Sidney were forbidden to give the full account of the vision of the afterlife. (D&C 76: 114-115.) So you must not presume that "the same words" will be identical to the teachings preserved in our records. They may include much more.

 

It is also interesting how the Book of Mormon contains so much more information upon close inspection that it appears to have in a quick read. It is a measure of how seriously we take the Lord's words as to how carefully we search the text.

 

As I've pointed out, most of the Book of Mormon scholarship is devoted to the question of the book's authenticity. Word studies, Jewish idioms, internal consistencies, author variances and other examinations of the book have dominated the Book of Mormon library we have produced. I have proceeded from the premise that the book is authentic, that it is what it claims to be, and worthy of respect. Then, based on that premise, I've asked what the book teaches. The result has been more than edifying, it has been at times shocking. I've found that most of the deepest doctrines taught by Joseph Smith can be found in the Book of Mormon. When his revelations reach the greatest heights, the Book of Mormon equals what is revealed.

 

We tend to view the Book of Mormon as a "basic" version of doctrine, because we all know there are sealed portions yet to be revealed. However, I think that attitude is wrong. Everything in the sealed portion is already in the book we have in front of us. But to find it we must look more carefully at the text than we generally do.

 

I keep hoping that by showing respect to the text we can accomplish two things:  First, please the Lord and remove our condemnation from neglecting this valuable ancient record. Second, increase our respect for the value of doctrine. Without the unique doctrines restored through the Book of Mormon, we may as well be Presbyterian or Methodist.

These verses promise us that the testimonies of differing nations will agree.  They will all testify both of Jesus Christ as Redeemer and Savior, and provide the means by which we can come to Him and be saved.

The numerous examples of the Book of Mormon all converge on knowing Christ.  Indeed, the text has more examples of Christ ministering through the veil to mortal men than any other record, including His Judean ministry. It is a veritable treasure of Second Comforter experiences. If you want to know Christ, the Book of Mormon is your best guide.

The Sealing Power

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.)

Various Creation Accounts

There are different versions of the creation.  The Moses, Abraham and Genesis accouts are similar in putting Adam alone at the point when the commandment was given to not partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  The Temple account does not preserve this.

All the accounts are intended as initiation ceremonies.  In the Abraham account, for example, there are directions given to the players who perform the ceremony.  They are all "endowment" documents.

Each ceremony can be viewed as a separate revelation.  The fact that there are differences means nothing.  All of them are intended to highlight or emphasize different teachings.  It is foolish to ask "which one is right" because they are all right.

The creation (or transplant of man onto this world) is not really the reason for the various ceremonial accounts of the event.  They are intended to orient us to how we got here (by a deliberate, planned act of God), why were are here (to find our way back to God) and why conditions here are difficult (to gain knowledge of good and evil).  The accounts are really about us.  Each of us was born innocent in the beginning, gradually become accountable, feel ourselves outside the presence of God, and must work to return.

Nadab and Abihu

I was asked about the relationship between Nadab and Abihu's death and the Day of Atonement ceremony.  I responded as follows:

Remember that these two saw the Lord in sacred space (on top of Sinai with Moses) earlier in their lives. (Exo. 24: 9-11)

 

Despite their earlier audience with the Lord, they were not authorized to enter the Holy of Holies.  Only the chosen High Priest, and then once an year, only on the Day of Atonement.  (Lev. Chapter 16; 23: 26-32.)

 

They entered into the Holy of Holies when they were not authorized, and burned incense contrary to the Day of Atonement ceremony.  They were not authorized to be there nor to do what they did.  Therefore they were struck down.  (Lev. 10: 1-3.)  The Lord reminded Moses after their death that those who are going to enter into that place must be "sanctified" before entering, hence the Day of Atonement ceremony being a prerequisite for entry.

 

Later Jewish tradition required the High Priest to have a rope tied to his ankle when he entered the Holy of Holies, so that his body could be recovered if he were struck down without the necessity of others entering the room.

Repent and Come Unto Me

There is this interesting statement by the Lord found in D&C 10:67-68: “Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.  Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church.”

 

The statement requires us to

1. Repent, and then

2. Come unto Christ.

 

Repentance is a lifelong process.  As we get further light and knowledge we have to incorporate it into our lives and change behavior.  Over a lifetime, this should be dynamic, not static.

 

The more difficult explanation is to "Come unto Him."  It is my view that this includes fully receiving Him into your life as did the brother of Jared, Nephi, Enos, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Joseph Smith, Daniel, Isaiah, Jacob, Mormon, Moroni, Alma the Younger, Paul, and so many others who have testified of Him.  That is a subject so great that the entire body of scriptures exist to help us accomplish it.

 

Significant, too, is that whatever is "more or less" than this is not "of my church" according to the Lord.  So we have to take great care to not overstate or understate this doctrine of His.  Adding endless requirements by the commandments of men is "against Him."  Similarly, any failure to declare the essential nature of coming to Him is also "against Him."  I think the first verse of D&C 93 is a formula for coming to Him.  That formula declares that, when it is followed, you will see His face and know that He is.