GLORY OF THE PRIESTHOOD

 

Studying about the patriarchs this year has given me a greater understanding of the priesthood. I am developing a reverence for it I have never felt before.

I was reading the other day about the power of godliness through the priesthood ordinances without which no man can see the face of God, ‘even the Father, and live’ (D&C 84:19-22). Then something else caught my attention I hadn’t noticed before.

Verse 19 tell us that the greater priesthood administers the gospel and holds the key of the mysteries of the kingdom , “even the key of the knowledge of God”. I understood then that it was through the priesthood that all the revelations pertaining to the human family are given.  

I remembered Adam, the Ancient of Days, who bestowed his last blessing upon the patriarchs and his righteous posterity three years prior to his death at Adam-Ondi-Ahman at which time he ‘predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation’  (D&C 107:53-56) (see also “Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” p 158). It was the priesthood keys he held that entitled him to the knowledge he received regarding his posterity.

I also remembered Abraham and the knowledge he was given of the universe, our pre-mortal life, the eternal nature of spirits, foreordination, the creation, the choosing of the Redeemer and the second estate of man, all of which we have at our disposal in the Pearl of Great Price. If it wasn’t for Abraham’s overwhelming desire to have the rights of the priesthood, he could never have been given this information relative to the covenant he made with God.

This is what confirmed to me that the priesthood is ‘the portal’ to the knowledge of God. Joseph records in his history the time that he and Oliver went into the woods to pray in May of 1829 to inquire about baptism for the remission of sins that they found mentioned in the translation of the plates. While they were praying John the Baptist appeared and conferred on them the Aaronic Priesthood.

He recounts this: “No sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery, than the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and he stood up and prophesied many things which should shortly come to pass. And again, as soon as I had been baptised by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy, when standing up, I prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other things connected with the Church, and this generation of the children of men.” (JSH vs 72,73)

And then this: “Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have the scriptures laid open to our understandings, and the true meaning and intention of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever before had thought of.” (v 74). It is important to note that at this time they did not have the gift of the Holy Ghost. John the Baptist promised that was yet to come (v 70).

I think of all of Joseph’s revelations that are contained in the Doctrine and Covenants which give us pure knowledge about the Gospel and the mysteries of God’s kingdom. I also think of revelations of the living prophets since Joseph, the greatest of all being the revelation of 1978 making the priesthood available to all the males in the Church. What other Church has what we have? No other.

At last my mind was taken to the One who possesses all the keys of the priesthood and all knowledge of the mysteries of God, the Saviour of all mankind who is our High Priest forever (Hebrews 3:1; 4:14). When He returns He shall reveal all knowledge:

“Things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knew, things of the earth, by which it was made, the purpose and the end thereof – things most precious, things that are above, and things that are beneath, things that are in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven.” (D&C 101:32-34)

Last thought….Application of the priesthood pertaining to our lives is worth the personal pursuit….

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joseph and Oliver Pray by Del Parson)

A YOUNG LAD CALLED ENOCH

 

Enoch is the greatest example of what God can make of us. He should be known more for his process of becoming than for the fact that he and his city were translated, as important as that is.

Enoch was only 25 years old when he was ordained by Adam to the Priesthood, long before his father and grandfather (D&C 107:48). He grew up in the land of Cainan among the people of righteousness and was taught ‘in all the ways of God’ by his father (Moses 6:41).

Not only was he relatively young compared to his predecessors who were well into 3 digits when called to the ministry, he had a serious problem. He pointed out to the Lord that he was very unqualified. He was young, he had a speech impediment and people hated him (Moses 6:31). It was also a perilous time, a time when Satan had great dominion among the people, when wars and bloodshed raged and ‘a man’s hand was against his own brother, in administering death, because of secret works, seeking for power’ (v 15).

 

But God needed something that Enoch had going for him to preach repentance to a failing society. He was righteous and He trusted God. The Lord acknowledged his lack of confidence and gave him some iron clad promises that would ensure his success, namely, that no man will afflict him, that He will give him utterance and will justify all his words and that He will make him so powerful that mountains will flee before him and the rivers will turn from their course (Moses 6:32-34). And then this: “Therefore walk with me” (v 34). Have courage, have no fear, have only trust in me.

 

Enoch did walk with God  (v 39) and because of it he became a brilliant young prophet whose words pierced the hearts of the crowds who came to hear him: “The mobs surrounded the hills and high places from which he spoke and the scripture says “all men were offended because of him” (Moses 6:37)….and his reputation spread like the east wind before him. The people anticipated his arrival in each new locality and messengers brought words that he drew near…(v 38)” (W. Cleon Skousen, “The First Two Thousand Years” p 160)

 

And because he walked with God “no man laid hands on him; for fear came on all them that heard him” and “the people trembled, and could not stand in his presence." (Moses 6:39,47).

Unfortunately, not only the converted feared but the proud and the wicked multitudes who had assembled to hear him became highly offended by his preaching and eventually came pouring over the hills and plains to slaughter the people of God. And this is when came the display of incredible power of God through a young prophet called Enoch:

 

"And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them, and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command, and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him". (Moses 7:13)

 

It was an incredible life of an incredible patriarch. He who allowed God to make something great of him to participate in God’s greatest work and His glory, that of ‘bringing to pass immortality and eternal life of man’ (Moses 1:39).

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: My Father's Work by Chris Brazelton)

 

THE ANCIENT OF DAYS

 

There is a place in Daviess county, Missouri, which is called Spring Hill. This place “was named by the mouth of the Lord, Adam-Ondi-Ahman”, literal translation being “Where Adam-having taken-God” (Ahman being the name of God in pure language) (“History of the Church”, 3:34-35). This is the place where one of the most tender events occurred on the American continent, the knowledge of which we owe to modern-day revelation through the modern-day prophet Joseph Smith.

This is where Adam, the Ancient of Days, bestowed his last blessing upon the patriarchs and his righteous posterity three years prior to his death (D&C 107:53-56). When the Saviour appeared to this congregation, Adam’s posterity “rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel”. The Lord then administered comfort unto Adam and said unto him: I have set thee to be at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over them forever.” (D&C 107:54-55).

After the Lord administered to him, Adam stood up even though he was ‘bowed down with age, and being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation’ (v 56). When Joseph Smith visited Spring Hill in 1876 he was privileged to see Adam, the Ancient of Days, in a vision of this momentous meeting (“Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” p 158).

Adam lived 930 years according to Genesis 5:5 and Moses 6:12 but died in the ‘same day’ he partook of the fruit as the promise of death was spoken by God when the earth was still subject to the Lord’s time which was after the time of Kolob (Abraham 5:13). Imagine living and enduring that long…..

There will come a time when Adam will return to Adam-Ondi-Ahman: “He will call his children together and hold a council with them to prepare them for the coming of the Son of Man”…..The Son of Man will stand before him, and there will be given Him glory and dominion. Adam will deliver up his stewardship to Christ, who holds the keys of the universe, but will retain his standing as the head of the human family (“Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” p 157).

This is the great Council of which neither the Church members nor the world will know about which will take place prior to the Saviour’s Second appearing as a ‘thief in the night’ (D&C 106:4) (Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, “Way to Perfection” pp 290-91; also D&C Student Manual p 288)

There is no greater summation of the Plan of Salvation that is as emotionally touching as this.  Adam, the head of the human family, having fulfilled his role so righteously as the father of all living, delivers his stewardship to the Saviour, the executor of the Plan of Salvation, at the winding up scenes of this earth. Promises kept, mission completed, humanity reared and saved.

Whereas Adam is the prince over us ‘forever’, the Saviour is the King. If not for Him, we would not be. And if not for continuous revelation we would not have glimpses of momentous occasions like this which bring to life the truth of our existence and which light the fire of our testimonies.

Every time I read the Doctrine and Covenants, my testimony of Joseph as the revelator and prophet increases. There is not one verse in that book of scripture that can convince me that Joseph had the intelligence and seership to produce such of himself.

The Saviour lives and guides His Church through living prophets. May our testimonies be such that we will bear witness of this when one day we kneel at Jesus’ feet.

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joseph Smith at Saviour's Feet by Liz Lemon Swindle)