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. 

JST Gen 14:28-40, an Invitation to Understanding

“We have done very well at distributing the authority of the priesthood.  We have priesthood authority planted nearly everywhere.  We have quorums of elders and high priests worldwide.  But distributing the authority of the priesthood has raced, I think, ahead of distributing the power of the priesthood” (Packer, April 2010 Conference).

“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” (v. 26).

Now we learn more about a different man who received the name of Melchizedek, meaning king of righteousness.  We see here that he “wrought righteousness.”  Who determines this righteousness?  Are “faith” and “righteousness” inseparably connected?

“And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch” (v. 27).

What does it mean to be “approved of God?”  Can a man or woman find approval in the eyes of men, even good men, and yet be lacking approval from God?  Or do the two necessarily go hand in hand? 

We learn something else here.  Moses teaches us that Melchizedek was “ordained an high priest after” the order of Enoch.  What does he go on to teach us about Enoch’s order?

“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” (v. 28).

Enoch’s order is after the order of the Son of God.  This is what we read about in Alma 13.  Alma understood this.  So did Moses.  So did Melchizedek.  So did Enoch.  It appears these righteous prophets knew very well what power it was unto which they were ordained.  They understood their power came from God.  There is no room for any confusion or misunderstanding about it.

Moses teaches here that this “order came, not by man, nor the will of man.”  What does this mean?  It came not by man, “but of God.”  Literally or figuratively?

“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” (v. 29).

Well, here, we aren’t left with much of an out.  Does it really mean what it says, that this high priesthood was conferred unto these men “by the calling of his own voice?”  What does that mean?  Is that different than the way a man is ordained an high priest in the Church?  What does it mean to receive God’s own voice proclaiming your righteousness, and conferring priesthood after this order?  Do we see a type or symbol of this anywhere in the ordinances we receive?

“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” (v. 30).

Did God “swear” unto Enoch through another man, or “with an oath by himself?”  What power did God’s oath bestow upon the man?

“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” (v. 31).

In our day, once again, the armies of nations will be gathered for war.  It is by the very power of this priesthood that comes from God that these armies will be “put at defiance.”  It is by the power of this priesthood that men will be spared, and not utterly wasted at his coming. 

Those after this order “stand in the presence of God” and “do all things according to his will, according to his command.”

“And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven” (v. 32).

What does “translation” have to do with this power?  Was it by this power that Enoch was translated?  And Melchizedek?  Moses and Elijah?  What about Alma?  Was it by some other power?

“And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace” (v. 33).

How did this power, conferred by God’s own voice, aide Melchizedek in obtaining peace in Salem?  What was it about that which he taught that was so effective in bringing people to God? 

“And his people wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch…” (v. 34).

What about Melchizedek’s message caused a city to seek God, and work “righteousness?”  Why did they seek for “the city of Enoch?”  Enoch’s people achieved Zion.  What is Zion?  Do we see it today? 

Know this, if a man is not seeking to establish Zion, he has no power with God.  “For they who are not for me are against me, saith our God” (2 Ne. 10:16).  “Wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish” (ibid.). 

“And he lifted up his voice, and he blessed Abram, being the high priest” (v. 37).

What blessing was it that Abram received?  What was Abram seeking (Abr. 1:2)? 

Who are the “fathers?”  What does it mean to “be a father of many nations?”  A “Prince of peace?” 

What does it mean when Abraham says he desired “to receive instructions?”

Ultimately, Abraham “became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers” (ibid.).  Truly, here is a man who’s heart had turned to the fathers.

“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” (v. 40).

This seems foreign to our understanding of high priests.  We should be asking questions about these things.  Once again, there’s a reason few seem to understand what high priest in the Church means.  Likewise, there are few who understand what high priest in Alma 13 means.  Because the same words are used to describe both, we tend to think they’re the same.  They’re not.  They are different.  Because we think they’re the same we understand neither as we should.

How can we come to an understanding?  What is truth?  God teaches those who come unto Him and ask a question.  If we come to Him with an empty cup, we are humble enough, open enough, to receive answers.  Those who think they have the answers already, remain full, and there remains no room for truth.