“Do As You Have Seen Me Do” - Part 4

          A servant acting as proxy for the Savior in the last days brings forth words of Christ on His behalf. Events following the arrival of the servant follow the pattern established by the Savior during His Nephite ministry. Following the Savior’s path leads to the same outcome. Righteous generations for the millennial era and a union between the kingdom of God on Earth with the kingdom of God in Heaven. Those on Earth are prepared for their union with Heaven by “great and awe-inspiring works” of the Father.

What A “Great and Awe-Inspiring Work Looks Like”

          The “great and awe-inspiring work” is the path leading to experiences not spoken or written. Communion with the Heavens and those residing there. In the Savior’s ministry to the Nephites, He began with those most prepared to begin this process, their children.

          Near the beginning of this paper a number of steps were given by the Savior as prerequisites for the baptism by fire and the Holy Ghost. Children fulfill the first three steps inherently. The first four steps are:

1.     Believe in Christ and have faith to:

2.     Repent.

3.     Become as a little child.

4.     Be baptized.

Little children have no need for repentance or baptism because the Savior’s Atonement covers those requirements. Becoming as a little child is to be humble, innocent and inquisitive.[1] Children come by faith intuitively. They are not sufficiently knowledgeable to be cynical.

          Mormon wrote a letter to his son, Moroni addressing the accountability of little children. In his letter he explained”

“So, my dear son, I know it’s solemn mockery before God for you to baptize little children. I tell you to teach the following: repentance and baptism for those who are accountable and capable of committing sin. Indeed, teach parents they must repent and be baptized and humble themselves like their little children, and they will all be saved with their little children. Their little children don’t need repentance or baptism. Baptism is a sign of repentance, in order to fulfill the commandments, for the remission of sins. But little children are alive in Christ, from the very foundation of creation . . .” (CofC Moroni 8:3, emphasis added).

Little children are alive in Christ from the foundation of the world. They have no need of repentance and baptism, they have no accountability to law. They are innocent. Mormon’s counsel to his son Moroni is: parents should repent and become “like their little children” so they can be saved with them.

          After healing the infirm among Nephite survivors the Savior commanded the people to bring their little children to Him. When the children were gathered they sat on the ground around the Savior. Parents were commanded to kneel. Jesus lamented the wickedness of Israel and began praying to the Father:

“ . . . And He prayed to the Father, and what He prayed can’t be written. Those that heard Him testified about it; and they testified to the following: The eye has never seen and the ear has never heard such great and awe-inspiring things we saw and heard Jesus speak to the Father. And no tongue can speak, neither can anyone write, neither can people’s hearts conceive such great and astonishing things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak. No one can conceive of the joy that filled our souls when we heard Him pray to the Father for us.

When Jesus finished praying to the Father, He got up. But the crowd’s joy overwhelmed them. Jesus told them to stand back up; and they got up from the ground. Then He told them: Blessed are you because of your faith. Now My joy is complete. When He had said these words, He wept; and the crowd testified of it. Then He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them and prayed to the Father for them. When He had done this, He again wept. He told the crowd: Notice your little ones.” (CofC 3 Nephi 8:4-5, emphasis added).

The Savior’s prayer to the Father was for the adults surrounding Him and their children. What was spoken by Jesus, now a resurrected resident of Heaven, was described as “great and awe-inspiring.” What was witnessed and heard could not be written, or spoken. Following the Savior’s prayer for the parents, He commanded the parents to retreat a short distance and observe their children.

“ . . . As they [parents] looked at them [children], their eyes were drawn up to heaven; and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending from heaven as if they descended in a pillar of fire. And they [Powers of Heaven, Patriarchs] descended and surrounded the little ones, who then were also surrounded by fire, and the angels ministered to them. And the crowd saw, heard, and testified. They know their record is true, because all of them saw and heard, everyone for themselves. In total, there were about 2,500 people, who consisted of men, women, and children” (CofC 3 Nephi 8:5, emphasis added).

The Lord prepared the children for the metaphorical ascent up Jacob’s ladder. In this instance, Jacob’s ladder opened for Heaven’s descent down to earth rather than the children ascending up to Heaven like Enoch and Melchizedek’s people. Following the opposite pattern of Heaven descending is significant because in the last days the kingdom of Heaven descends to join the kingdom of God on Earth.

          Children were the first mortal candidates to be joined with Heaven because their nature is similar to Heavenly attitudes. Mortal adults require additional preparation because of their years of experiencing deception and distraction.

          Children are the first candidates to experience the Father’s “great and awe-inspiring work” among the Nephites. Parents saw and heard what transpired, but the children were inside the flaming pillar interacting with Angels from among the “Powers of Heaven.”

          Events occurring in this series of circumstances are “great and awe-inspiring” but not fully understood without context, scripturally and doctrinally. What at times is overlooked are the underlying meaning of these events. They represent a covenant transition from a lesser covenant to a greater covenant. An ordinance because God ordains and orchestrates the transition.

Moses introduced the higher covenant in his day but was rejected by Israel. Their rejection led to a lesser, Aaronic covenant that continued until John the Baptist in preparation for Jesus and the greater covenant renewal. When the Lord withdrew Moses and the greater Priesthood from Israel, a covenant transition occurred.

“Now, this, Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God, but they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence. Therefore, the Lord, in his wrath (for his anger was kindled against them) swore that they should not enter into his rest — which rest is the fullness of his glory — while in the wilderness.

Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also. And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holds the key of the ministering of angels, and the preparatory gospel, which gospel is the gospel of repentance, and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron, among the children of Israel, until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the holy ghost from his mother’s womb. For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power: to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power” (RE T&C 82:13-14, emphasis added).

We see from this revelation to Joseph Smith two covenant transitions. The first was Moses introducing a covenant and Priesthood that made way for mankind to return to God’s presence. For mankind to return to God’s presence, they must first be sanctified through Christ. Moses sought diligently to lead Israel through the sanctification process but they hardened their hearts against the requirements of the greater Priesthood.

          After repeated attempts with little progress the Lord withdrew Moses and the greater Priesthood from them. What remained were lesser, carnal commandments that were preparatory but insufficient to sanctify. The law of Moses or the Aaronic covenant remained until John the Baptist. John “wrested” authority for the Aaronic covenant from the Jewish leadership in preparation for a second introduction of the greater Priesthood through the Savior.

          Jesus sought what Moses desired to accomplish. The remnant of Israel remaining in and around Jerusalem rejected and crucified the Savior. They were in open rebellion against the Lord’s efforts to sanctify His people. Thereafter, disciples of Jesus carried the offer of the greater Priesthood covenant to the Gentiles with limited success.

          These events became examples of covenant rejection and the wrath of God being poured out on those rejecting His offer. After a long absence, God returned to the Gentiles and extended a renewed offer of the greater Priesthood covenant and the opportunity to be introduced into God’s presence. The offer was given through Joseph Smith to the Gentiles.

          The Gentiles of Joseph Smith’s day rejected Joseph in the same manner the Jews rejected John the Baptist and Jesus. Like the withdrawal of Moses and the greater Priesthood from Judah, a remnant of the Priesthood remained similar to the Aaronic Priesthood and the law of Moses but with the Gentiles. Two hundred years passed since Joseph and Hyrum Smith were removed from the Gentiles. Silence from the lack of fulfillment of Book of Mormon prophecies is deafening. Sealed portions of the Book of Mormon remain with God, continuous revelation is replaced with policy changes, the legacy of Joseph Smith is a liar and adulterer according to those who claim to succeed him. All that remains is extraordinary wealth and fiercely guarded lack of transparency. The time for the Lord’s offer of the greater Priesthood covenant one final time to the Gentiles soon closes. Then a small number of Gentiles carry the Lord’s offer to Lehi’s seed and Israel generally.

          The examples of covenant and Priesthood transitions reviewed here were failures. The Covenant of Christ provides examples of successful transitions. The accounts demonstrate what the sanctification Moses, Jesus and Joseph Smith sought among their covenant audiences look like. The account of Jesus among the Jews was not successful. The resurrected Lord instructing Nephite survivors in the “doctrine of Christ” teaches His doctrine and shows us what covenant acceptance is like.

          The first among Nephite survivors sanctified were little children. They are the purest examples of the process. Little children are what the Savior admonishes us to become like after we sanctify ourselves by receiving the Holy Ghost and the Baptism by fire. Following faith, repentance and baptism, the Lord admonishes all accountable to be saved like their children.

          Parents observed the children encircled by pillars of fire, receiving the ministration of Angels descending from Heaven. Angels minister through the Aaronic Priesthood and the Spirit of Elias[2] and are the ones in the endowment who instruct Adam and Eve in Eden after their fall. First anonymously and then openly, as an example of their being first unseen [Aaronic] and then seen [Patriarchal, Powers of Heaven].

          The presence of the pillar of fire points to the Spirit of Elijah[3] and the Patriarchal Priesthood. Elijah ascended to Heaven in a chariot of fire.[4] His ascent symbolically points to mortal man crossing the bridge between mortality to immortality, a covenant transition establishing a connection between heaven and earth.[5]

“The presence of God is dreadful to the wicked, it’s frightening to them. They get near it and it convicts them of their unworthiness. They dare not go up. But the pure and the humble and the noble are drawn to it. They will want to be there. And so that conduit, that fiery pillar, that stairway to heaven, Jacob’s ladder, the chariot of fire, all of those things are an attempt to describe that heavenly connection, that heavenly presence. To the unworthy and the ungodly looking at it, they may or may not be able to see anything about it but they will sense extraordinary dread. It will frighten them. To the worthy there will be something enlightened about the very presence of the place. It will not seem to them to just be another place. It will seem as though the God of heaven has some base established there. That’s when you know that an ensign has been established in the tops of the mountains to which nations will flow saying, come, let us go up and learn from the god of Jacob, because that ensign is actually something godly, holy, edifying, instructive, revelatory, filled with light, and redemptive, and the god who dwells there is going to be the Lord” (Cursed-Denied the Priesthood, Denver Snuffer Jr., p.25, emphasis added).

Scriptural metaphors point to a connection between Heaven and earth. As Denver states, “ . . . all of those things are an attempt to describe that heavenly connection, that heavenly presence.” When someone experiences a “great and awe-inspiring” event, they search for metaphors to explain what is impermissible to say or write. Metaphors are chosen from daily life to describe experiences that cannot be written or spoken. The absence of a literal pillar of fire surrounding someone may or may not be included in a personal experience. As Denver noted, the pillar of fire may or may not be manifest. Witnessing the pillar of fire is not the key to validating the individual baptism by fire.

“To the worthy there will be something enlightened about the very presence of the place. It will not seem to them to just be another place. It will seem as though the God of heaven has some base established there.”

If the pillar is present but not visible, the wicked feel a sense of dread when it appears. Fear is the dominant feeling. For the righteous they are drawn to it. Footnote 3 references the account of Elijah’s ascension. Several items in that account provide an explanation applicable to the Nephite children and their parents.

          Prior to Elijah’s ascension into Heaven, his persistent companion, Elisha continued with him.

“And Elijah said unto him, Wait, I pray you, here, for the Lord has sent me to Jordan. And he [Elisha] said, As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. And they two went on. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood to view afar off, and they [Elijah and Elisha] two stood by Jordan. And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided here and there so that they two went over on dry ground.

And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken away from you. And Elisha said, I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me. And he [Elijah] said, You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so unto you but if not, it shall not be so” (RE 2 Kings 1:9-10, emphasis added).

Elisha requested he give him a double portion of the Spirit of Elijah. Elijah is in no position to grant that request. Only the Lord imparts His Spirit upon man. However, Elijah gave Elisha a sign his wish was granted. If Elisha witnessed Elijah’s ascent he would know God granted his wish. Following Elijah’s ascent, Elisha smote the river Jordan and passed over on dry ground.

          Elisha was appointed Elijah’s successor by the passing of Elijah’s mantle and witnessing his ascent in the pillar of fire. Elisha was the closest to Elijah’s proximity when his ascent occurred, but Elisha was not the only person present. In the distance stood sons of the prophets following after. Although the fifty sons of the prophets watched and waited, they did not see Elijah’s ascent. None of Elijah’s Spirit passed to them. Evidence the Lord shared none of Elijah’s ascent with them is present in the verse following the ascent.

“And when the sons of the prophets who were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha [they saw no visible manifestation of the transfer of power]. And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. And they said unto him, Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Let them go, we pray you, and seek your master, lest perhaps the spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley. And he said, You shall not send. And when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men, and they sought three days, but found him not. And when they came again to him (for he tarried at Jericho), he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?” (RE 2 Kings 1:12, emphasis added).

The sons of the prophets following Elijah and Elisha were unaware of transpiring events and Priesthood succession. This validates Denver’s point that the pillar may or may not be manifest. Elisha who followed Elijah’s path witnessed the ascent and received the mantle of authority. None of which was openly manifest to observers.

          Elisha, witnessing Elijah’s ascent offers instructive points. It was no coincidence Elisha called out, “My father, my father.” Elijah was the Patriarchal Father [dispensation head] through which his Spirit passed to Elisha. Similar to when Melchizedek ordained Abraham to the Patriarchal Priesthood.[6] The chariot of Israel and horseman accompanying the chariot were the “Powers of Heaven”[7] descending to lead Elijah to his divine inheritance with them.[8] From the mortal perspective similar events were repeated on the mount of transfiguration[9] as well as similar accounts[10] in scripture where Patriarchal Fathers or the “Powers of Heaven” appear.

          In 3^rd Nephi the parents and disciples witnessed the children’s experience with the Spirit of Elijah and the heavenly ministrants. The record states:

“And the crowd saw, heard, and testified. They know their record is true, because all of them saw and heard, everyone for themselves. In total, there were about 2,500 people, who consisted of men, women, and children” (CofC 3 Nephi 8:5, emphasis added).

Like Elisha witnessing the ascension of Elijah, the 2500 men, women, and children who witnessed this event were allowed to be witnesses in preparation for the time they receive it personally. This may be a type for Adam-Ondi-Ahman in the last days, both numerically and experentially.

          Part 5 is more relevant to our time because adults require additional preparation before they receive the pillar of fire and the Spirit of Elijah. The process for adult ascension will be discussed in the account of the baptism of the disciples.

[1] “Ask and it shall be given unto you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you; for everyone that asketh, receiveth, and he that seeketh, findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened (3 Nephi 6:7). “Just after the caution to not give holy things to the unworthy, Christ reminds all of their obligation to ask, seek, and knock. If you will ask, it will be given to you. If you seek, you will find it. If you knock, things will be opened to you. But be careful not to give what is holy to the unworthy. These ideas are related in two ways: First, if you want what is holy, then stop being a dog or a swine. Ask, seek, and knock. Second, if you are one who is qualified and will receive holy things by your willingness to be repentant, then press forward by asking, seeking, and knocking. If you do, the things which are most holy will be given. For everyone that asketh, receiveth. Really? Everyone? Even you? That is what Christ is saying. However, the manner in which you will receive is illustrated by ‘The Missing Virtue’ in Ten Parables. Meaning that the effort to receive what you have asked the Lord could take nearly two decades, and a great deal of internal changing before you acquire what you lack. Receiving may include not only what you’ve asked to receive, but also everything you do not have in order to finally qualify to receive what you seek. What do you associate with findeth? Does it suggest to you active effort, or passive receipt? To find something you are missing (even a small thing) what must you do? If searching is required to locate, then what do you suppose the Lord is implying by the word findeth? What does it mean that it shall be opened? Does opening imply merely a view? Does it suggest also entering in? If it opens to view, and you then fail to enter in, has opening been worthwhile? Has anything been accomplished? Does it suggest that there is activity required of someone who has something opened unto them? It is my view that the words chosen all imply a burden upon the one who asks, seeks, and knocks. They are not entitled to anything just by speaking the words. They must make the effort to search into and contemplate the things they seek. Then they must change and repent of everything amiss in their lives that is revealed to them. This is to be done before they can see what is to be shown to them. If, for example, a person wants to see the other side of the mountain, they can ask daily for a view to be opened to them without ever seeing the other side. But if the Lord prompts them to take the path to the top, the Lord has given them the means to find and have opened to them the very thing they seek. Provided, of course, they are willing to walk in the path to the top of the mountain. When they remain on the valley floor, asking or demanding more, they are not really asking, seeking, and knocking. They are irritating and ungrateful. The Lord’s small means are capable of taking the one who seeks to the very thing they desire (Alma 17:8). But without cooperation with Him they can receive nothing. The Lord’s small means are how great things are brought to pass (1 Nephi 5:8). But for some people the Lord’s answers are never enough. However, when the humble who ask, seek, and knock follow Him in these small means, they will eventually stand in His presence and partake of eternal life. But not until they have done as all others have done before them.”²

Mankind is impatient, wanting quickly what can sometimes only be obtained in patience. Human nature is to rush, but development requires patience. Some things require time and persistence to prepare one for the blessings they seek. Joseph remarked: The things of God are of deep import, and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out [childlike] (T&C 138:18). This is the way of God. It is adapted to give all what they lack, even if they are unaware of what they lack. The Father always intends to give to those who ask, seek, and knock, just as Christ explained; the Father knows much more how to give good things to them that ask (3 Nephi 6:8). He will not merely give the thing requested. He will add to it such things as are needed to prepare them to be received. “This, then, is the process: We ask. Without a request, the laws governing things prevent bestowal. We can’t be given until first we ask. When we have asked, the Father will give. He will give every good gift needed, and not just what has been asked (3 Nephi 6:8). If there is (as is almost always the case) a gulf between what you have asked of Him and your capacity to receive it, then He will set about giving you every needful thing to enable you to receive. If you ask for strength, He will provide you with that experience necessary to develop the strength you seek. If you seek for patience you will be given Divinely ordained experiences by Him that are calculated to develop in you what you have sought. He knows you and knows what you need. Whatever is asked of Him, He will set about to ordain. It will come in a perfectly natural progression. It will occur in accordance with both natural and eternal law. If you fight against it, you prolong the time when you will receive what you have asked of Him. If you cooperate, it will flow unto you without compulsory means in a natural progression (T&C 139:6). If you do not ask, it will not be given. If you do not seek, you cannot possibly find. If you are unwilling to knock, the door will remain shut to you. But if you do these things, then you must cooperate with Him as He prepares you to receive what He will bestow. After asking, seeking, and knocking, then a process is invoked in which the Father prepares you to receive. You will receive as soon as He can prepare you by experience, by careful, thoughtful, ponderous thought through time and experiences adapted to give you what is asked. When, at last, you have been adequately prepared, you will have gone through exactly what every other soul before you has experienced to prepare them. There are no shortcuts. There are no exceptions. It is in accordance with laws ordained before the foundation of the world. Everyone who has obtained what you seek will have done so in conformity with the very same laws. The Father will work with you to prepare you to receive what you seek. This is a reaffirmation by Christ of the process and the Father’s role in bringing it to pass. If you trust Him, trust also His Father’s deliverance of you. You will be delivered. You will receive from Him who knows how to bestow every good gift what you have asked of Him” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, Ask, Seek, Knock, second edition, pp.22-25, emphasis added).

[2] “The spirit of Elias is to prepare the way for a greater revelation of God, which is the Priesthood of Elias, or the Priesthood that Aaron was ordained unto. And when God sends a man into the world to prepare for a greater work, holding the keys of the power of Elias, it was called the doctrine of Elias, even from the early ages of the world” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (p. 385, emphasis added). Deseret Book Company. Kindle Edition.

[3] “ . . . The spirit, power, and calling of Elijah is, that ye have power to hold the key of the revelations, ordinances, oracles, powers and endowments of the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood and of the kingdom of God on the earth; and to receive, obtain, and perform all the ordinances belonging to the kingdom of God, even unto the turning of the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the hearts of the children unto the fathers, even those who are in heaven” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (p. 386, emphasis added). Deseret Book Company. Kindle Edition.

[4] “And it came to pass, as they still went on and talked, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into Heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father! The chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof [Patriarchal Fathers]! And he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back and stood by the bank of Jordan. And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? And when he also had smitten the waters, they parted here and there, and Elisha went over” (RE 2 Kings 1:11, emphasis added).

[5] “Elijah is an interesting fellow. He raised someone from the dead, he helped the widow of Zarephath whom he miraculously saved through a drought, and he went upon the mountain to be taught by the Lord. On the mountain he encountered the Lord, who told him the way in which he can recognize the voice of God forever thereafter. He confronted the priests of Baal, and called down fire from heaven. This last incident was rather a remarkable demonstration. Before calling fire down, he had water dumped all over the altar of twelve stones, until a trench around the altar was filled with water. Then he called down fire from heaven, which consumed the sacrifice, the water and the altar itself. He then killed 450 prophets of Baal, and 400 prophets of the groves. All of this going on rather testifies Elijah is now in possession of some of the power and spirit of God that belonged to the order of Enoch and Melchizedek order. In his career, he developed to the point that he became quite adept at its use. So much so that he stopped being inhibited about public displays. Well, the moment came when Elijah was going to leave. It is interesting because his coming departure was not a secret. When Elisha and Elijah were on their way to the place where Elijah was going to be taken up into heaven, as they were going along there were folks (also called ―prophets‖) who said, in effect, ―Hey, Elisha you are losing Elijah today. This is the day he is going.‖ It was not a secret. Everyone knew it was going to happen. So, Elijah was on his way and Elisha was with him, and Elisha wanted to know if 97 See 3 Nephi beginning with Chapter 11. See 3 Nephi 11: 8; 17: 24. See 2 Kings 2: 11. 1 Kings 17: 17-22. 1 Kings 17: 9-16. 1 Kings 19: 11-12. 1 Kings 18: 18-40. Id. vs. 33-35. Id. vs. 37-39. Id. vs. 20, 40. See JST Gen. 14: 30-32. See 2 Kings 2: 3-7. Page 24 of 42 he could obtain the same priesthood. He asked: ―I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.‖ Elijah, recognized this is not a connection which men form among men, but this kind of connection is one that requires a connection to heaven. Therefore, he told Elisha, ―it is a hard thing‖ to accomplish this. However, if Elisha was there when the corridor opens and the fiery ascent was shown to him, Elisha would have this priesthood conferred by heaven upon him. This was because when the heavens open the presence of God is always there. A person cannot behold such things without possessing this priesthood. The witness, if he was there, will have the power conferred upon him to stand in the presence of God and live. Elisha was told, in effect, ―if you witness it, it will be yours to know and have.‖ Elisha was in fact with him when he was taken up. In a sign of benevolence and charity, Elijah cast his mantle down and Elisha picked it up. Then as Elisha returned from the ascent of Elijah, as he got to the river Jordan he struck it with the mantle, and the river stopped and he walked over on dry ground. Elisha then knew this priestly power had descended from heaven upon him, and Elisha‘s ministry continued from there. All of this is, in my view, the reason why Elijah must return. Elijah went up the same fiery ascent as the earlier translations. In the last days the system that began at first with Zion going up to heaven, will transpose. It is going to open again, but this time instead of Zion leaving, Zion is going to stay and the residents of Zion will be joined by those who were translated. Zion will not return through a fiery ascent. Those who ascended will come again back through the corridor to join a small group prepared to endure such glory. There is this marvelous description given to Enoch of when they return, they will fall on one another‘s necks and they will kiss one another. Zion below and Zion above will be reunited” (THE MISSION OF ELIJAH RECONSIDERED, Denver Snuffer Jr., pp.23-24, emphasis added).

“Here, then, we have finally arrived at Elijah‘s significance as the one who must first return. He was not the last one living who held the sealing power, though he did in fact possess it. Instead, he is vital as the last one to make the ascent from earth to heaven. He rose up through the fiery corridor, and went to God‘s presence. He joined the ―fathers in heaven‖ who are to return. He last opened the way by his physical ascent. He will be the first to physically descend through the fiery corridor to return from heaven to dwell again on earth. His return will not be made in a temporary opening. We‘ve had plenty of  See D&C 132: 37. Consider what happens when someone enters His presence that is not prepared: Mormon 9: 2-6. 132 See D&C 84: 21-22. Matt. 16: 18. Helaman 10: 7. D&C 2: 3. John the Beloved‘s ascent and subsequent ministry connect him to this end of the corridor. John‘s ministry here includes responsibility to prepare mortal man to come up to Zion. See D&C 7: 6. Page 29 of 42 those. His return will open a permanent, fixed stairway between the ―fathers in heaven‖ and those who are prepared for the return of Zion. Zion will be overshadowed by the Lord‘s glory. The fiery corridor, or pillar of fire, or ladder to heaven, or conduit into heaven, or chariot of fire, will be opened by Elijah‘s descent. It will remain over Zion and will be visible there. It will not be temporary. It will be the place from which the first preparations for the Second Coming begin. At that location a small group will be prepared to endure this opening. They, and those called to join with them, will escape being ―utterly wasted‖ at the unveiling of our Lord in glory at His return. It is Elijah who will restore the hearts of the fathers to the children or, in other words, he will reestablish the lost corridor between heaven and earth that connects those in heaven with those on earth. This fiery path needs to be opened beforehand. The path, once it opens, will allow men on the earth to be prepared for the coming again of those who are Zion above” (THE MISSION OF ELIJAH RECONSIDERED, Denver Snuffer Jr., pp.28-29, emphasis added).

[6] “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 has 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. And this Melchizedek, having thus established righteousness, was called the King of Heaven by his people — or in other words, the King of Peace.

And he lifted up his voice and he blessed Abram, being the high priest and the keeper of the storehouse of God, him whom God had appointed to receive tithes for the poor. Wherefore, Abram paid unto him tithes of all that he had, of all the riches which he possessed, which God had given him, more than that which he had need. 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 with which Melchizedek had blessed him” (RE Genesis 7:20-21, emphasis added).

[7] “A title referring to a specific group with status on the other side of the veil; a proper noun, not just an abstraction. In the afterlife there are different rungs on Jacob’s ladder where different Powers are fixed: Angel, Archangel, Principality, Power, Dominion, Throne, Cherubim, and Seraphim — they may all be called Powers of Heaven. These Powers have no desire to control or compel others to rise on Jacob’s ladder. Each rung is a developmental stage of growth through which all must pass if they want to ascend nearer to God. Each individual on Jacob’s ladder should be moving toward perfection” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, Powers of Heaven, Second Edition, p.248, emphasis added).

[8] “I saw a great mountain, and upon the top thereof was the glory of the fathers. To reach the top, all were required to enter through a narrow pass. In the pass was a great beast, cruel and pitiless . . . Among those who waited, however, was a man who knelt and prayed, and waited patiently for his Lord. After a great time, the Lord came to this man and took him by the hand and led him into the pass where the great beast guarded the way. As the Lord led, however, the beast was ever occupied with attacking others, and therefore its back was turned to the Lord and the man. And so they passed by unnoticed, safely to the top. The Lord sent the man to the Fathers who, when they saw the man, inquired of him, How came you to be here and yet mortal; the last who came here were brothers who had been slain, and you are yet alive? And the man answered, I waited on the Lord and he brought me here safely” (RE T&C 163: 1 & 4, emphasis added).

[9] “And after six days, Jesus took Peter, Jacob [James], and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him [Patriarchal fathers]. Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you are willing, let us make here three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. And behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear him. And when the disciples heard the voice, they fell on their faces and were sorely afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only” (RE Matthew 9:4, emphasis added).

[10] “As this vision closed, the Heavens were again opened to their [Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery] view, and they saw and beheld, and were endowed with knowledge from the beginning of this creation to the ends thereof. And they were shown unspeakable things from the sealed record of Heaven, which man is not capable of making known, but must be revealed by the Powers of Heaven.

They beheld Michael, the archangel, Gabriel, and Raphael, and divers angels, from Michael or Adam down to the end of time, showing in turns their dispensations, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the Powers of their Priesthood; giving line upon line, precept upon precept; endowing them with knowledge, even here a little and there a little; holding forth hope for the work God was yet to perform, even the revelation of all things which are to come upon the earth until the return of the Lord in glory with His holy angels — to pour out judgment upon the world, and to reward the righteous.

And they were unable to take it in; therefore, they were commanded to pray and ask to comprehend by the power of the spirit, to bring all things to their remembrance, even the Record of Heaven which would abide in them. Amen and Amen” RE T&C 157:30-32, emphasis added).

Scott Roderick

7/12/2025

Do As You Have Seen Me Do 4.pdf

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