Joseph Smith - Matthew

In the closing days of His ministry, the Savior said to His disciples -

"...that ye shall not see me henceforth and know that I am he of whom it is written by the prophets, until ye shall say: Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord, in the clouds of heaven, and all the holy angels with him. Then understood his disciples that he should come again on the earth, after that he was glorified and crowned on the right hand of God." (Pearl of Great Price JS-Matthew 1:1)

Throughout scripture the prophets have testified that Christ would come again. The following are just a few -

"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth..." Old Testament Job 19:25)

"When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory." (Old Testament Psalms 102:16)

"...the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together..." (Old Testament Isaiah 40:5)

"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven..." (Old Testament Daniel 7:13)

"...behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth." (Old Testament Micah 1:3)

"...one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends." (Old Testament Zechariah 13:6)

"...the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap..." (Old Testament Malachi 3:1 - 2)

Nephi told the corrupt judges of other Old Testament prophets saying -

"...behold, Moses did not only testify of these things, but also all the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of Abraham.
17 Yea, and behold, Abraham saw of his coming, and was filled with gladness and did rejoice.
18 Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of these things, but there were many before the days of Abraham who were called by the order of God; yea, even after the order of his Son; and this that it should be shown unto the people, a great many thousand years before his coming, that even redemption should come unto them.
19 And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things; yea, behold, the prophet Zenos did testify boldly; for the which he was slain.
20 And behold, also Zenock, and also Ezias, and also Isaiah, and Jeremiah, (Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the destruction of Jerusalem) and now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed according to the words of Jeremiah. O then why not the Son of God come, according to his prophecy?
21 And now will you dispute that Jerusalem was destroyed? Will ye say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it were Mulek? Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah are with us, and they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem? But behold, this is not all—
22 Our father Lehi was driven out of Jerusalem because he testified of these things. Nephi also testified of these things, and also almost all of our fathers, even down to this time; yea, they have testified of the coming of Christ, and have looked forward, and have rejoiced in his day which is to come.
23 And behold, he is God, and he is with them, and he did manifest himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him; and they gave unto him glory, because of that which is to come." (Book of Mormon Helaman 8:16 - 23)

Peter also said -

"...he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." (New Testament Acts 3:20 - 24)

And later wrote that -

"...the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night..." (New Testament 2 Peter 3:10)

Paul also wrote -

"...this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air..." (New Testament 1 Thessalonians 4:15 - 17)

And the Lord said to John the Revelator -

"...behold, I come quickly..." (New Testament Revelation 22:12)

These are but a few ancient prophecies of the coming of the Lord.

Abrahamic Covenant

I see the covenant or promises the Lord made with Abraham cover four areas -

Land

...I have purposed to take thee away out of Haran, and to make of thee a minister to bear my name in a strange land which I will give unto thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession, when they hearken to my voice." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 2:6)

For many biblical readers they may assume this land was the land of Canaan or somewhat larger. But we know in the Book of Mormon it is much more land to the west including the western hemisphere. Now that is a land.

Priesthood

"...I will lead thee by my hand, and I will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the Priesthood of thy father, and my power shall be over thee." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 1:18)

"...and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed..." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 2:11)

There is no question that it will be his posterity that will hold the priesthood and perform the ordinances thereof.

Posterity

"...I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations..." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 2:9)

"...I will multiply thee, and thy seed after thee, like unto these; and if thou canst count the number of sands, so shall be the number of thy seeds." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:14)

I believe this extends more than this earth life only.

Eternal Life

"...all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 2:11)

This same covenant or promised blessings of Abraham are given to those who are faithful and receive all the ordinances of the gospel.

Abraham 5

Before the fall of Adam, Abraham wrote of time in the Garden Eden -

"...Now I, Abraham, saw that it was after the Lord's time, which was after the time of Kolob; for as yet the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his reckoning." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 5:13)

Abraham had already taught the order of time -

"...thus there shall be the reckoning of the time of one planet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolob, which Kolob is after the reckoning of the Lord's time; which Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:9)

For the Lord taught Abraham -

"...The planet which is the lesser light, lesser than that which is to rule the day, even the night, is above or greater than that upon which thou standest in point of reckoning, for it moveth in order more slow; this is in order because it standeth above the earth upon which thou standest, therefore the reckoning of its time is not so many as to its number of days, and of months, and of years." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:5)

Abraham began to understand astrology as the Lord said -

"...it is given unto thee to know the times of reckoning, and the set time, yea, the set time of the earth upon which thou standest, and the set time of the greater light which is set to rule the day, and the set time of the lesser light which is set to rule the night." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:6)

And with that understanding it was told to Abraham that -

"...that Kolob was after the manner of the Lord, according to its times and seasons in the revolutions thereof; that one revolution was a day unto the Lord, after his manner of reckoning, it being one thousand years according to the time appointed unto that whereon thou standest. This is the reckoning of the Lord's time, according to the reckoning of Kolob." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:4)

My thoughts this morning and I must say that it is only speculation on my part is that as Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden, the earth may have been nigh unto Kolob because it was according to the "Lord's time". This would also suggest that when Adam fell so did the earth into the order of time as we presently know.

Abraham 4

The Lord promised the saints that there would be -

"A time to come in the which nothing shall be withheld, whether there be one God or many gods, they shall be manifest.
29 All thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
30 And also, if there be bounds set to the heavens or to the seas, or to the dry land, or to the sun, moon, or stars—
31 All the times of their revolutions, all the appointed days, months, and years, and all the days of their days, months, and years, and all their glories, laws, and set times, shall be revealed in the days of the dispensation of the fulness of times—" (Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:28 - 31)

As this knowledge and the plan of salvation was revealed to Abraham, the Lord taught -

"...we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them..." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:25)

The concept of agency seems to be the core and an essential component of the plan. As Abraham described the creation of the world, he writes of each event -

"...the Gods organized..." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 4:14)

And of this organization he writes that -

"...the Gods watched those things which they had ordered until they obeyed." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 4:18)

This verse seemed to jump out at me this morning. Some may interpret "ordered" as to command, but it seemed to me to be more of setting things in an order that allowed those things agency to obey. The verse also suggests patience with no definition of time as the Lord watched and cared for until those things obeyed. To me it may seem like there may have been chaos at first but as laws were obeyed, there came order, structure, and consistency.

The creation performed by the power and authority of the priesthood seemed to be in complete compliance as taught in the 121st section of the Doctrine and Covenants -

"...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." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:36)

"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
42 By kindness, and pure knowledge..." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:41 - 42)

And by administering in this manner -

"...thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:46)

Abraham 3

It was through revelations given to Abraham that we learn about our divine and eternal nature. The Lord explained to Abraham -

"...if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:18)

The concept of eternal seems to go in line with no beginning. This concept also suggests organization and progression. The Lord continued to explain -

"...These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:19)

How might we fit in this progression or plan? The Lord said -

"...I came down in the beginning in the midst of all the intelligences thou hast seen.
22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
23 And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:21 - 23)

Again in this progression, it is obvious there were those more valiant than others -

"And there stood one among them that was like unto God..." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:24)

And then the plan and purpose of this eternal progression is set forth -

"...we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
26 And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:25 - 26)

President Brigham Young taught -

"Mankind are organized of element designed to endure to all eternity; it never had a beginning and never can have an end. There never was a time when this matter, of which you and I are composed, was not in existence, and there never can be a time when it will pass out of existence; it cannot be annihilated.

It is brought together, organized, and capacitated to receive knowledge and intelligence, to be enthroned in glory, to be made angels, Gods—beings who will hold control over the elements, and have power by their word to command the creation and redemption of worlds, or to extinguish suns by their breath, and disorganize worlds, hurling them back into their chaotic state. This is what you and I are created for." (Discourses of Brigham Young, 48; see also D&C 93:29–33)

I always enjoy the wisdom of Elder Neal A. Maxwell -

"Admittedly we do not now understand all the implications of the words, ‘spirits . . . have no beginning; they existed before . . . for they are . . . eternal’ (Abraham 3:18). Yet we surely understand enough to see a loving and redeeming God at work, striving to help us become as He is—a cause for our deep gratitude and joy, instead of despair and doubt, and for a willing submission to whatever He perceives will further that purpose." (“Not My Will, But Thine,” 40)

On keeping our "second estate" he said -

"Premortality is not a relaxing doctrine. For each of us, there are choices to be made, incessant and difficult chores to be done, ironies and adversities to be experienced, time to be well spent, talents and gifts to be well employed. Just because we were chosen ‘there and then,’ surely does not mean we can be indifferent ‘here and now.’ . . .

In fact, adequacy in the first estate may merely have ensured a stern, second estate with more duties and no immunities! Additional tutoring and suffering appears to be the pattern for the Lord’s most apt pupils. (See Mosiah 3:19; 1 Peter 4:19.) Our existence, therefore, is a continuum matched by God’s stretching curriculum. . . .

Agreeing to enter this second estate, therefore, was like agreeing in advance to anesthetic—the anesthetic of forgetfulness. Doctors do not deanesthetize a patient, in the midst of what was previously authorized, to ask him, again, if it should be continued. We agreed to come here and to undergo certain experiences under certain conditions." (in Conference Report, Oct. 1985, 21; or Ensign, Nov. 1985, 17)

Abraham 2

Abraham writes that -

"...when I was come near to enter into Egypt, the Lord said unto me: Behold, Sarai, thy wife, is a very fair woman to look upon;
23 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see her, they will say—She is his wife; and they will kill you, but they will save her alive; therefore see that ye do on this wise:
24 Let her say unto the Egyptians, she is thy sister, and thy soul shall live.
25 And it came to pass that I, Abraham, told Sarai, my wife, all that the Lord had said unto me—Therefore say unto them, I pray thee, thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live because of thee." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 2:22 - 25)

One can infer from these words that Sarai did just that in that they were both spared. My understanding is that Sarah was a sister and this wasn't a lie. Just as Abraham, Sarai must have also been a valiant and obedient individual. I personally appreciate the teaching of Elder Bruce R. McConkie -

"The Lord never sends apostles and prophets and righteous men to minister to his people without placing women of like spiritual stature at their sides. Adam stands as the great high priest, under Christ, to rule as a natural patriarch over all men of all ages, but he cannot rule alone; Eve, his wife, rules at his side, having like caliber and attainments to his own. Abraham is tested as few men have been when the Lord commands him to offer Isaac upon the altar (Gen. 22:1–19); and Sarah struggles with like problems when the Lord directs that she withhold from the Egyptians her status as Abraham’s wife. . . . And so it goes, in all dispensations and at all times when there are holy men there are also holy women. Neither stands alone before the Lord. The exaltation of the one is dependent upon that of the other." (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:302)

Abraham 1

Throughout the generations, there are many obedient saints that have sacrificed a great deal -

"...who had offered sacrifice in the similitude of the great sacrifice of the Son of God, and had suffered tribulation in their Redeemer's name." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 138:13)

We are fortunate to have scriptural reference of some. And even more blessed when there is recorded more detail. Fortunately, we have more detail information on young individuals like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. But in other cases we are left to speculate and in other cases we will never even know of the events. One great example of sacrifice that we only know about because of the writings of Abraham but with no additional information is the lives, obedience, and commitment of three virgins. During his life, Abraham records that -

"...at this time it was the custom of the priest of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to offer up upon the altar which was built in the land of Chaldea, for the offering unto these strange gods, men, women, and children." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 1:8)

And then he writes that -

"...this priest had offered upon this altar three virgins at one time, who were the daughters of Onitah, one of the royal descent directly from the loins of Ham. These virgins were offered up because of their virtue; they would not bow down to worship gods of wood or of stone, therefore they were killed upon this altar, and it was done after the manner of the Egyptians." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 1:11)

That is all we know about these special women, which I assume are young. They would not bow down to false gods no different than Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. In the virgins case, they were sacrificed, in the other these young men were spared. In each case, they were willing to sacrifice their lives for the truth. Elder Neal A. Maxwell wrote of these -

"...three young women whose names we do not have. They are mentioned in the book of Abraham, remarkable young women about whom I am anxious to know more. They were actually sacrificed upon the altar because ‘they would not bow down to worship [an idol] of wood or stone’ (Abraham 1:11). Some day the faithful will get to meet them." (“Not My Will, But Thine” [1988], 119–20)

On this topic of sacrifice, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught in his Lectures on Faith -

"For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor, and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also—counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ—requires more than mere belief or supposition that he is doing the will of God; but actual knowledge, realizing that, when these sufferings are ended, he will enter into eternal rest, and be a partaker of the glory of God. . . .

. . . A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life.

. . . It is in vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those, or can be heirs with them, who have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith in God and favor with him so as to obtain eternal life, unless they, in like manner, offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain the knowledge that they are accepted of him. . . .

. . . From the days of righteous Abel to the present time, the knowledge that men have that they are accepted in the sight of God is obtained by offering sacrifice. . . .

. . . Those, then, who make the sacrifice, will have the testimony that their course is pleasing in the sight of God; and those who have this testimony will have faith to lay hold on eternal life, and will be enabled, through faith, to endure unto the end, and receive the crown that is laid up for them that love the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who do not make the sacrifice cannot enjoy this faith, because men are dependent upon this sacrifice in order to obtain this faith: therefore, they cannot lay hold upon eternal life, because the revelations of God do not guarantee unto them the authority so to do, and without this guarantee faith could not exist." (Lectures on Faith, 68–70)

Abraham 1

Of the priesthood, the Lord revealed -

"...this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 84:19)

And -

"The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church—
19 To have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them..." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 107:18 - 19)

For men, it appears that the Melchizedek Priesthood is the key and the channel to receive knowledge from God. Abraham explained -

"...finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 1:2)

Knowing this, Abraham said -

"I sought for mine appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto the fathers concerning the seed." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 1:4)

For the Lord told him -

"I will lead thee by my hand, and I will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the Priesthood of thy father, and my power shall be over thee." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 1:18)

Sadly -

"My fathers having turned from their righteousness, and from the holy commandments which the Lord their God had given unto them..." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 1:5)

Abraham's fathers had lot the blessing for greater knowledge, guidance, instruction, and the privilege of receiving the mysteries of God due to the fact that they -

"...utterly refused to hearken to my voice." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 1:5)

As one contemplates the ramifications of this loss of privilege, they would realize the impending impact on spouse and family.

Because of Abraham's obedience, honoring, and magnifying his priesthood, the Lord promised -

"I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations;10 And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father;11 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 2:9 - 11)

I believe this same promise is to all faithful priesthood holders.

Moses 8

Even though Enoch and his people were translated, the Lord -

"...sent forth an unalterable decree, that a remnant of his seed should always be found among all nations, while the earth should stand..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:52)

Thus -

"...Methuselah, the son of Enoch, was not taken, that the covenants of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he made to Enoch; for he truly covenanted with Enoch that Noah should be of the fruit of his loins." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 8:2)

Enoch's great grandson was Noah. Noah had three sons for -

"...Noah was four hundred and fifty years old, and begat Japheth; and forty-two years afterward he begat Shem of her who was the mother of Japheth, and when he was five hundred years old he begat Ham.
13 And Noah and his sons hearkened unto the Lord, and gave heed, and they were called the sons of God." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 8:12 - 13)

And -

"...thus Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord; for Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation; and he walked with God, as did also his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 8:27)

These were righteous men. But what is sad and must have been painful for Noah's sons that -

"...when these men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, the sons of men saw that those daughters were fair, and they took them wives, even as they chose.
15 And the Lord said unto Noah: The daughters of thy sons have sold themselves; for behold mine anger is kindled against the sons of men, for they will not hearken to my voice." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 8:14 - 15)

Where the Lord refers to the righteous as the "sons of God", He also refered to the wicked as the "sons of men". The granddaughters of Noah prefered "sons of men" or men of the world more than "sons of God" or righteous men with the priesthood of God. How painful it must have been for them as the floods of the world came.

The very concept of Zion is lost as the youth choose the "sons and daughters of men". President Joseph Field Smith analyzed -

"Because the daughters of Noah married the sons of men contrary to the teachings of the Lord, his anger was kindled, and this offense was one cause that brought to pass the universal flood. . . . The daughters who had been born, evidently under the covenant, and were the daughters of the sons of God, that is to say of those who held the priesthood, were transgressing the commandment of the Lord and were marrying out of the Church. Thus they were cutting themselves off from the blessings of the priesthood contrary to the teachings of Noah and the will of God. . . .

Today there are foolish daughters of those who hold this same priesthood who are violating this commandment and marrying the sons of men; there are also some of the sons of those who hold the priesthood who are marrying the daughters of men. All of this is contrary to the will of God just as much as it was in the days of Noah." (Answers to Gospel Questions, 1:136–37)

Moses 7

We read of the people of Enoch that -

"...the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:18)

And not the people only but Enoch -

"...built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even ZION." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:19)

As we study the Doctrine and Covenants that we learn that Zion is the celestial kingdom or the saints live by the laws of the celestial kingdom on earth.

"...and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold mine abode forever." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:21)

And -

"...Zion was taken up into heaven..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:23)

Many might think that this meant that they went to dwell where God lives. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught -

"Many have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine whereby men were taken immediately into the presence of God, and into an eternal fullness, but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for such characters He held in reserve to be ministering angels unto many planets, and who as yet have not entered into so great a fullness as those who are resurrected from the dead." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 170)

We learn that after Zion was taken up that -

"...Enoch beheld angels descending out of heaven, bearing testimony of the Father and Son; and the Holy Ghost fell on many, and they were caught up by the powers of heaven into Zion." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:27)

So there were others that were translated or taken up to Zion to serve as the Prophet said, to be ministering angels. Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote -

"After those in the City of Holiness were translated and taken up into heaven without tasting death, so that Zion as a people and a congregation had fled from the battle-scarred surface of the earth, the Lord sought others among men who would serve him. From the days of Enoch to the flood, new converts and true believers, except those needed to carry out the Lord’s purposes among mortals, were translated." (The Millennial Messiah, 284)

The promise was made to Enoch that in the last days -

"...righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:62)

Zion or Holy City will again be on the earth. And when that takes place the Lord tells Enoch -

"Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other;
64 And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 7:63 - 64)

Oh that I wish I might participate in that event.

Moses 6

With the teaching of the great plan of salvation, Mormon taught of the prophets of old or in other words -

"...them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness." (Book of Mormon Moroni 7:30)

That the -

"...office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.
32 And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men." (Book of Mormon Moroni 7:31 - 32)

One of those "in strong faith and a firm mind", a "chosen vessel" was Adam. To Adam the Lord taught -

If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given you." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:52)

To that instruction, Adam asked -

"...Why is it that men must repent and be baptized in water?..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:53)

To which the Lord explained -

"...Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:53)

And with that statement, the plan and conditions of salvation were given as -

"...the saying abroad among the people, that the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt, wherein the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of the children, for they are whole from the foundation of the world.
55 And the Lord spake unto Adam, saying: Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good.
56 And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:54 - 56)

Therefore -

"We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression." (Pearl of Great Price Articles of Faith 1:2)

And since all men are agents unto themselves -

"...all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who shall come in the meridian of time." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:57)

And then in answer to Adam's question regarding baptism, the Lord said -

"...by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;
60 For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;
61 Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.
62 And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:59 - 62)

It then has been from the beginning -

"...Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (New Testament John 3:5)

Moses 6

After Enoch is commanded to prophesy to the people, the Lord instructs him -

"Choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you.
34 Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify...and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you...(Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:33 - 34)

With this command and promise the Lord, as a loving friend, says to Enoch -

"...therefore walk with me." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:34)

I was touched by those words. It was as if the Lord wasn't just pushing Enoch out the door to what the Lord told him. Instead, I sense the Lord was saying that "we are in this together" -

"...therefore walk with me" (Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:34)

We learn that Enoch did choose God and to serve him. And being obedient to the Lord, -

"...Enoch went forth in the land, among the people, standing upon the hills and the high places, and cried with a loud voice, testifying against their works; and all men were offended because of him." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:37)

But what is even more interesting is that -

"...it came to pass when they heard him, no man laid hands on him; for fear came on all them that heard him..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:39)

Why?

"...for he walked with God." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 6:39)

Moses 5

To Adam and Eve, the Lord -

"...gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:5)

In turn -

"...Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:12)

There is no question what the commandment was to the sons of Adam regarding the commandment to offer the firstlings of their flocks. Abel -

"...brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:20)

But with Cain -

"...Satan commanded him, saying: Make an offering unto the Lord.
19 And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:18 - 19)

"But unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:21)

There is a great lesson taught here. It was very clear what the commandment was even though the sons of Adam may not have understood why. But nonetheless, the commandment was clear. It is interesting that Satan put into the heart and mind of Cain thoughts such as - "wait a minute, Able is a keeper of sheep and I am a tiller of the ground. Why shouldn't the Lord except that which I produce just like Able", "This isn't fair, I am a tiller of the ground", "my circumstances are different", and so forth. As a result -

"...Satan knew this, and it pleased him. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:21)

Isn't this the same in our day in respect to the commandments of the Lord. Everybody is always justifying themselves because the commandments are not fair or do not apply to them. They are different and should be treated differently. They just do not understand the mind and will of the Lord. An example is where the Lord has pronounced -

"The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan..." (The Family:A Proclamation to the World)

There are many that say that isn't fair. It doesn't apply to my circumstances. But just as in the days of Able and Cain, the commandment is clear. It doesn't matter what is politically correct or fair or what the world thinks. Just as with Cain and Able, the Lord will only accept that done in faith according to His commandments.

Moses 5

After being cast out of the Garden of Eden, Adam heard the voice of the Lord and -

"...he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:5)

I think this must have been a very interesting commandment for Adam. It wasn't just that he had to sacrifice the first born male of each sheep, which must have been somewhat difficult to say the least, but this also meant that he had to keep track of all his sheep knowing if it was the firstling or not. It seems from the beginning that some sort of record must have been kept.

And with must have been a somewhat confusing commandment, we read -

"...And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:5)

If there is any question whether and Adam and Eve had faith, it is obvious he did. It was sometime later for -

"...after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:6)

The Lord doesn't leave His children in the dark forever for it was revealed -

"This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.
8 Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:7 - 8)

"And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the Only Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and forever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:9)

This is the gospel, the glorious news. But note that before the Holy Ghost fell on Adam, he had to be obedient. It was after being obedient with faith, having then been giving more knowledge that -

"Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.
11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.
12 And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 5:10 - 12)

Happiness and joy follow as we keep His commandments.

"Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 2:25)

Moses 4

As Adam is cast out of the Garden of Eden, the Lord tells him -

"...cursed shall be the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.
24 Thorns also, and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field.
25 By the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, until thou shalt return unto the ground..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 4:23 - 25)

With these words, two things seemed to jump out at me. The first being "cursed shall be the ground for thy sake". Adam was not cursed but the ground was cursed. And the Lord tells him His purpose - "for thy sake". It becomes apparent that all this was done for Adam's benefit. In His infinite wisdom, the Lord knew that work and at times discouragement would be for the benefit of man.

President Marion G. Romney said -

"Note that the curse was not placed upon Adam, but upon the ground for Adam’s sake. Rather than a curse upon Adam, it was a blessing to him." (in Conference Report, Oct. 1976, 168; or Ensign, Nov. 1976, 125)


And this wasn't just to be for a period in ones life. The Lord said that this would continue "all the days of thy life" even "until thou shalt return unto the ground."

This is an interesting concept where there are many individuals that feel that at a certain point in life, they should retire and do nothing. I think "by the sweat of thy face" would suggest continual work and service, enduring to the end with -

"Every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 82:19)

I believe this is what the Lord meant.

Moses 4

As a result of Moses's experience with Satan that transpired after His great vision with speaking with the Lord on an exceeding high mountain, the Lord tells him -

"...That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 4:1)

It was this same Satan that came to tempt Moses, that was in the beginning with God. In this pre-existant state, it is apparent that Satan had rebelled against the designs and laws of God. We learn the desires and plan of Satan as the Lord tells Moses -

"...because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down..." Pearl of Great Price Moses 4:3)

And thus he became -

"...the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 4:4)

Satan's two-fold plan and purpose is very clear, 1) he seeks to destroy agency, and 2) and he does all he does for power. In modern day, we can see these principles being applied in leadership in government, politics, businesses, and corporations. Mormon one said - "wherefore, I show you the way to judge". I think as we contemplate right and wrong and principles that are true or those that are from the "father of lies", we should judge if leaders seek power and do they take away freedoms or the agency of the individuals. Or do -

"Every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 82:19)

Moses 3

As the Lord completed the six creative periods, He tells us of the seventh -

"...on the seventh day I, God, ended my work, and all things which I had made; and I rested on the seventh day from all my work, and all things which I had made were finished, and I, God, saw that they were good;
3 And I, God, blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it I had rested from all my work which I, God, had created and made." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 3:2 - 3)

And then is seems He steps back and recounts -

"And now, behold, I say unto you, that these are the generations of the heaven and of the earth, when they were created, in the day that I, the Lord God, made the heaven and the earth..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 3:4)

And then He seems to recounts even earlier events -

"And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 3:5)

This single thought or remembrance reveals that all things were "spirits" or created as spirits in the presence of God before the seven creative periods. President Joseph Fielding Smith answered -

"The Lord informed Abraham that he had chosen rulers from among the intelligences that were organized, to be given in various capacities down the ages; and Abraham was one of these who was so chosen [see Abraham 3:22–23].

It is reasonable to believe that in the beginning, before the earth was prepared, the Lord would have all things organized from the beginning to the end of time. It is written in the scriptures: ‘Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the hosts of them.’ This is equivalent to the Lord’s saying that everything was in preparation to be placed on the earth in its due course when mankind should be placed upon it." (Answers to Gospel Questions, comp., Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., 5 vols. [1957–66], 5:182)

He also explained -

"There is no account of the creation of man or other forms of life when they were created as spirits. There is just the simple statement that they were so created before the physical creation. The statements in Moses 3:5 and Genesis 2:5 are interpolations [parenthetical explanations] thrown into the account of the physical creation, explaining that all things were first created in the spirit existence in heaven before they were placed upon this earth.

We were all created untold ages before we were placed on this earth. We discover from Abraham 3:22–28, that it was before the earth was formed that the plan of salvation was presented to the spirits, or ‘intelligences.’ This being true, then man, animals and plants were not created in the spirit at the time of the creation of the earth, but long before." (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:75–76)

Moses 1

I was impressed this morning as I read -

"And now, Moses, my son, I will speak unto thee concerning this earth upon which thou standest; and thou shalt write the things which I shall speak." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 1:40)

It was to Moses that the Lord revealed the creation of the world and the purpose of its creation. Some of the vision has been lost and not recorded in the bible. Knowing all things, that is -

"...all things are present with me, for I know them all." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 1:6)

The told Moses -

"...in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take many of them from the book which thou shalt write, behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; and they shall be had again among the children of men - " (Pearl of Great Price Moses 1:41)

Not to all the children of men being in the bible but -

"...among as many as shall believe." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 1:41)

It is had in our day for "as many as shall believe" in the Pearl of Great Price.

Moses 1

Nephi saw of biblical scholars and translators that over the years that -

"...they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 13:26)

As a result, the Lord commanded the Prophet Joseph Smith the review and provide an "inspired" version of the bible. Much the work of the Prophet with the inspired revisions was modify or clarify verses of scriptures. Thus is the case with the book of Genesis. But what is interesting in this process, the Lord revealed an important experience and writing of Moses, lost in scripture, that that took place after the Lord spoke to Moses from the burning bush but before he lead the children of Israel from Egypt. This writing of Moses is the first chapter of the book of Moses.

In this great vision, the Lord tells Moses -

"...behold, thou art my son..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 1:4)

- a very important concept that must be revealed and understood to understand the entire plan
of salvation. In 1909, the First Presidency confirmed -

"...Man is the child of God, formed in the divine image and endowed with divine attributes, and even as the infant son of an earthly father and mother is capable in due time of becoming a man, so the undeveloped offspring of celestial parentage is capable, by experience through ages and aeons, of evolving into a God" (Improvement Era, Nov. 1909, 81; see also Acts 17:27–28; Hebrews 12:9; Marion G. Romney, Learning for the Eternities, George J. Romney, comp. [1977], 31–32).

Yet at the same time, the Lord made it perfectly clear -

"...but there is no God beside me..." (Pearl of Great Price Moses 1:6)

In explanation, Elder Boyd K. Packer, said -

"The Father is the one true God. This thing is certain: no one will ever ascend above Him; no one will ever replace Him. Nor will anything ever change the relationship that we, His literal offspring, have with Him. He is Elohim, the Father. He is God. Of Him there is only one. We revere our Father and our God; we worship Him" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1984, 85; or Ensign, Nov. 1984, 69).

This all makes sense as we again consider the words of the First Presidency in 1912 -

". . . The sole object of worship, God the Eternal Father, stands supreme and alone, and it is in the name of the Only Begotten that we thus approach Him, as Christ taught always." (“Only One God to Worship,” Improvement Era, Apr. 1912, 484–85)

D&C Official Declaration 2

In June, 1978 -

"...the First Presidency announced that a revelation had been received by President Spencer W. Kimball extending priesthood and temple blessings to all worthy male members of the Church..." Doctrine and Covenants Official Declaration 2:2)

In a letter, the First Presidency declared -

"Aware of the promises made by the prophets and presidents of the Church who have preceded us that at some time, in God's eternal plan, all of our brethren who are worthy may receive the priesthood, and witnessing the faithfulness of those from whom the priesthood has been withheld, we have pleaded long and earnestly in behalf of these, our faithful brethren, spending many hours in the Upper Room of the Temple supplicating the Lord for divine guidance.
8 He has heard our prayers, and by revelation has confirmed that the long-promised day has come when every faithful, worthy man in the Church may receive the holy priesthood, with power to exercise its divine authority, and enjoy with his loved ones every blessing that flows therefrom, including the blessings of the temple." (Doctrine and Covenants Official Declaration 2:7 - 8)

There were many that thought then and now that this response by the Church was because of increasing political and social pressure. But the account of Elder Bruce R. McConkie provides greater incite and truth on the matter as stated by the First Presidency -

"On the first day of June in this year, 1978, the First Presidency and the Twelve, after full discussion of the proposition and all the premises and principles that are involved, importuned the Lord for a revelation. President Kimball was mouth, and he prayed with great faith and great fervor; this was one of those occasions when an inspired prayer was offered. You know the Doctrine and Covenants statement, that if we pray by the power of the Spirit we will receive answers to our prayers and it will be given us what we shall ask (D&C 50:30). It was given President Kimball what he should ask. He prayed by the power of the Spirit, and there was perfect unity, total and complete harmony, between the Presidency and the Twelve on the issue involved.

And when President Kimball finished his prayer, the Lord gave a revelation by the power of the Holy Ghost. . . .

On this occasion, because of the importuning and the faith, and because the hour and the time had arrived, the Lord in his providences poured out the Holy Ghost upon the First Presidency and the Twelve in a miraculous and marvelous manner, beyond anything that any then present had ever experienced. The revelation came to the President of the Church; it also came to each individual present. There were ten members of the Council of the Twelve and three of the First Presidency there assembled. The result was that President Kimball knew, and each one of us knew, independent of any other person, by direct and personal revelation to us, that the time had now come to extend the gospel and all its blessings and all its obligations, including the priesthood and the blessings of the house of the Lord, to those of every nation, culture, and race, including the black race. There was no question whatsoever as to what happened or as to the word and message that came.

The revelation came to the President of the Church and, in harmony with Church government, was announced by him; the announcement was made eight days later over the signature of the First Presidency. But in this instance, in addition to the revelation coming to the man who would announce it to the Church and to the world, and who was sustained as the mouthpiece of God on earth, the revelation came to every member of the body that I have named. They all knew it in the temple.

In my judgment this was done by the Lord in this way because it was a revelation of such tremendous significance and import; one which would reverse the whole direction of the Church, procedurally and administratively; one which would affect the living and the dead; one which would affect the total relationship that we have with the world; one, I say, of such significance that the Lord wanted independent witnesses who could bear record that the thing had happened." (“All Are Alike unto God,” (Symposium on the Book of Mormon, p. 2.)

That is the testimony of a modern apostle we sustain as a prophet, seer, and revelator. I believe it happened just as Elder McConkie so stated. Not according to the opinions of the world.