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)