The Sons Of God

When Adam gathered together his righteous posterity he blessed them, that he might bring them into the presence of God (TPJS, p. 161).  

“They looked for a city, etc., ‘whose builder and maker is God’ (Heb. 11:10).  Moses sought to bring the children of Israel into the presence of God, through the power of the Priesthood, but he could not.  In the first ages of the world they tried to establish the same thing; and there were Eliases raised up who tried to restore these very glories, but did not obtain them; but prophesied of a day when this glory would be revealed” (ibid.).

Eliases have been sent from God unto man since the beginning.  They are preparers and restorers, and point men to Christ.  Though they themselves are tried and tested while here and are vulnerable to failing, they were among the Noble and Great Ones, and have descended to the earth to test and prove others (Abr. 3:25).  

There have been continuous attempts at helping men obtain the presence of God.  Men have almost always failed to obtain what has been offered.  Perhaps there is no greater opportunity to obtain these glories than when these Eliases walk among men in the flesh.  After their deaths, however, men fall further and further from the truth.  They lose light through iniquity and through their unbelief; through disobedience and the traditions of their fathers (D&C 93:39).  As generations pass, blindness is no longer recognized, and sight into these things is no longer desired.  It is a pitiful state.  God sends more messengers to teach and redeem his children.

Some men and women have been successful in their efforts to obtain Zion.  When Melchizedek was among men, he and his people obtained peace.  They sought for Enoch and his city.  Joseph Smith's translation of Genesis 14 is fundamental in restoring an understanding of these things to those who receive his work.

“And Melchizedek lifted up his voice and blessed Abram.

Is this "blessing" the same kind of thing spoken of above, wherein Adam "blessed" his righteous posterity that they might be brought into the presence of God?  Is it the same blessing Adam gives to Enoch at age 65, a blessing he received long after his "ordination," who thereafter walked with God 365 years (D&C 107:48-49)?  What blessing is this?

“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.

Melchizedek's faith and righteousness is not common.  His life is unparalleled by men and women in our day.  He was approved of God, and received covenants from God.  God had made these same covenants with Enoch.  This order came not by man, but of God.  It came by the calling of God's own voice out of the heavens.  Melchizedek knows God, whom to know is Eternal life.    

“For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order 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.

God swears with an oath to those who receive this Priesthood.  This oath does not come to recipients through the words of a book gathering dust on millions of peoples' bookshelves, but from His own voice.  Those who are after this order obtain the power of God.  They stand in the presence of God.  They do all things according to the will of God.  They are approved of him.  They obtain Heaven, and have communion with the angels of Heaven.  They become the sons of God.  

“And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.

“And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace.

“And his people wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world;

“And hath said, and sworn with an oath, that the heavens and the earth should come together; and the sons of God should be tried so as by fire” (JST Gen. 14:25-40).

As we take a look at a number of other passages of scripture you should look for these same elements to appear in the text.  It is startling to realize how many times these same themes and patterns show up in scriptures that we cavalierly apply to every male "Melchizedek Priesthood holder" in the church.  We're all mixed up.

God established his Holy Priesthood in the beginning.  This order of Priesthood that has been ever since the beginning will come again before the coming of the Son of Man (Moses 6:7).  The history of man, the Holy Priesthood, the presence upon the earth of men and women who walk with the God of Heaven, a Holy City, etc., are all a divine Chiasm.  That which has been shall be.  That which was in the beginning shall be in the end.  The course of the Lord is one eternal round.  

Regularly Ordained

A good question was asked that would be helpful to answer with a post.  The question was about the previous post and how D&C 42:11 fits in.  Here is the scripture and question:

"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 some one 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).

"How do you reconcile that verse with Abinadi, the unnamed prophet who called Eli the high priest to repentance, Samuel the Lamanite, John the Baptist, Lehi, and most of the Old Testament prophets, who were neither ordained by the heads of the church nor did the church know they had authority besides what they claimed God gave them."   

To simplify, I don't think there is a need to 'reconcile that verse' with prophets the Lord chooses independent of men's input.  This may appear contradictory at first glance, but is not.  Read the entire section and ask when, why, and under what circumstances the revelation was given.    

These were instructions to the church.  Specifically, they were instructions given to the church while Joseph was alive.  It duly established a precedent and order by which our missionary work is carried out.  There were to be no secret ordinations performed to offices within the church.  Those who were extending the call to serve and ordaining others to "go forth to preach" were to be "known to the church" to have authority to do so.  We still follow this instruction.

Section 42 contains instructions for the church in sending forth missionaries and in preaching the gospel, and was revelation given while a particular group of elders was present.  Beginning with verse 1 it is clear the Lord has in mind "ye elders of my church, who have assembled yourselves together" (D&C 42:1).  Specific instructions were given for the elders present, and exception is even made for Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon to some of the instructions that were given (D&C 42:4-5).  The revelation is instructions for "building up" Christ's church (D&C 42:8).  When you get into verses 11, 12, 13 and so on, it remains clear this is instruction for "this church." 

There is an order in the Lord's church.  Joseph followed these instructions and called and sent missionaries to preach the gospel.  Missionary work was to be organized and authorized by the "heads of the church."  It was not to be a free-for-all.  There was order established by the Lord, and the church has done a good job following that order.

The revelation does not bind God, however.  In fact, God's commandments to his children have never been binding on him.  God and his holy prophets do things at times that appear contrary to what is right and holy (I think of Nephi killing his uncle, Abraham sacrificing his son, Elijah slaying hundreds of priests, God killing, etc.).  Those examples are never license for others to break the commandments of God.        

God is not bound to accomplish his work by our standards or expectations, even if they are standards he has established for the conduct of his church.  God has called prophets independent of churches since the beginning.  It makes you wonder if he would choose to do the same in our day as he has in the past. 

God has also established his church, or a covenant people, throughout history.  His covenant people, other than in rare cases that achieved Zion, have generally been slothful, proud, religious and unbelieving.  It seems that when Zion has been established, it was because a people chose to accept what God offered through a true prophet while he was living (i.e. Adam, Enoch, Melchizedek, etc.).  Most often though, the prophets have been killed and the fulness lost.

When Joseph Smith was killed a grand opportunity was lost.  He had come with the fulness and offered to establish Zion.  Generations have passed since then and God is beginning to extend that opportunity again.  There is more to all of this.  This is the beginning of the end. 

The Prophet Abinadi, Part 2

The Prophet Abinadi, Part 2

“And except they repent and turn to the Lord their God, behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies; yea, and they shall be brought into bondage; and they shall be afflicted by the hand of their enemies.

“And it shall come to pass that they shall know that I am the Lord their God, and am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of my people.

“And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage; and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty God.

“Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall cry unto me I will be slow to hear their cries; yea, and I will suffer them that they be smitten by their enemies.

“And except they repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry mightily to the Lord their God, I will not hear their prayers, neither will I deliver them out of their afflictions; and thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me” (Mosiah 11:21-25).

Because God loves his children and desires to save them, the message of repentance has been sent from God from the beginning.  Adam and his family were taught the gospel of repentance by the Lord and angels sent by Him (Moses 5:58; 6:1, 23,57).  All other righteous patriarchs and prophets received and taught the gospel of repentance (Moses7:10-12; 8:19-20; Ezek. 14:6; 1 Ne. 1:4; Alma 5:32-33, among many others).  The opposite of a message of repentance would be the message of flattery delivered by king Noah and his priests.  Flattery is not borne of love, but of lies.  It is the anti-Christ that will use flattery as a tool (Jacob 7:2).

Helaman 12 is an excellent sermon on the “unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men” (Hel. 12:1).  The sermon is true of men and women from the beginning of the earth until the end.  Men tend to “forget the Lord their God…and this is because of their ease, and their exceeding great prosperity” (v. 2).  Things haven’t changed.  We remain the same.  While in this telestial world there is a persistent need to combat the decaying force of entropy that is ever-present.  Men not only lose hair and muscle with the advance of time, but are always losing “light and truth” (D&C 93:39). 

Consistent with that truth therefore, is that the message men need to hear has never changed.  The message required to bring men to the Son of God 6000 years ago, was the same message required to bring men to the Son of God 2000 years ago, and is the same today.  In a revelation given to the Prophet in 1833 this is verified:

“Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on me name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth me commandments, shall see my face and know that I am” (D&C 93:1).

In our day the Lord commanded Joseph Smith to share the message of repentance.  Those who repent can be reconciled to Christ and “know that [He is]” while in the flesh. 

In order to combat the constant decay of light and truth, prophets reveal and restore lost truths, and always preach repentance, pointing people to Christ.  If the message “inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ” you may know “with a perfect knowledge it is of God” (Moro. 7:16).   

Whether it is sooner or later, the Lord does visit “the iniquities of [His] people.”  This he has spoken, and he excuses not himself.  But before the house comes crashing down, the Lord always gives fair warning by the voice of “his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).  This is why Abinadi was sent to the people.  It seems only one man received the message.  Though wolves in sheep’s clothing will flatter you, prophets warn of God’s judgment.  Look to the scriptures for the pattern.  It is unmistakable.  The only message that will not be compromised in the unfolding of the Lord’s “strange” work is the message of repentance (D&C 101:95).