The End Times Servant : Part 3 - “The Pit they Dug”
- scottrode
- 19 hours ago
- 56 min read
*Apologies to my wife and others who struggle with copious text and footnotes. I never start with that intent, but it seems to happen with some regularity. Sometimes I feel compelled.
In Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith there is a reference about King David under the heading “Murderers Have No Forgiveness.” The heading establishes a context for Joseph Smith’s quote that veers from the original intent of Joseph Smith’s sermon. The quote states:
“Although David was a king, he never did obtain the spirit and power of Elijah and the fullness of the Priesthood; and the Priesthood that he received [Aaronic, Elias], and the throne and kingdom of David is to be taken from him and given to another by the name of David in the last days, raised up out of his [David’s] lineage” (TPJS., p.339; emphasis added).
Given the heading one may misunderstand original subject matter. It has little to do with the subjects of murderers. The sermon was recorded March 10, 1844, under the title “Elias, Elijah, Messiah,” distinguishing differences between each “spirit and office.” The “spirit and office” of each is addressed in ascending order.
The spirit and office of Elias is Aaronic or preparatory for a greater work. [1] The “spirit and office” of Elijah follows the “spirit and office” of Elias as an intermediary Priesthood empowering those who receive it with power to seal in time and eternity both blessings and curses at the Lord’s direction. The final category is the “spirit and office” of Messiah, the highest “spirit and office” or level of ascension.
Latter-day David is synonymous with the end-time servant and “spirit and power” of Elijah. He shares the name David with his ancestor from the royal lineage in the last days. [2] Reference to his name David is not limited to a birth name and is likely a “new name” [3]given by the Lord as a “key word.” [4] King David never attained the spirit of Elijah to seal his throne and kingdom to him in time and eternity. Lacking power and authority to do so, original king David forfeits the privilege. His kingdom is given to his namesake David. The last days David receives both Elijah’s Spirit and the Priesthood fullness. Joseph Smith was a prophet; and his prophecy must be fulfilled as he stated.
David’s task is formidable and our task of recognizing and acknowledging him is critical to our salvation. In 3 Nephi when the Savior foretells the servants coming with a greater witness of Christ we are told “they won’t be able to harm his work, although he will be opposed and discredited by them.” [5] Among those attempting to discredit the end time servant are false prophets and ministers who are “brought to shame and humiliation.”
Joseph Smith issued a warning to them in the last days. Those who witness the fulfillment of John the Beloved’s vision are warned. It is the time an angel brings the “holy Priesthood” to preach the “everlasting gospel to all nations.”
“. . . the Savior said, when those tribulations should take place, it should be committed to a man who should be a witness over the whole world, the keys of knowledge, power, and revelations [Spirit of Elijah], should be revealed to a witness who should hold the testimony to the world [6]. . . the Scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress, judgements, &c are ready to be poured out on the Inhabitants of the Earth-John [the Beloved, Revelator] [7] saw the angel [8] having the holy Priesthood who should preach the everlasting gospel to all nations,-God had an angel, a special messenger, ordained, and prepared for that purpose in the last days-[9] Woe! Woe! [condition of deep suffering, doubly emphasized] be to that man, or set of men, who lift up their hands against God and his Witness in these last days-for they [the man or set of men] shall deceive almost the very chosen ones-my [Joseph Smith] enemies say that I have been a true prophet-& I had rather be a fallen true prophet, than a false prophet; when a man goes about prophesying and commands men to obey his teachings, he must be either a true or false prophet; false prophets always arise to oppose the true prophets, and they will prophesy so very near the truth that they will deceive almost the very chosen ones-the doctrine of eternal judgments belong to the 1st principles of the Gospel in the last days-in relation to the kingdom of God-the devil always sets up his Kingdom at the very same time in opposition to God,-every man who has a calling to mininster to the Inhabitants of the world, was ordained to that very purpose in the grand Council of Heaven before this world was- I suppose that I was ordained to this very office in that grand Council. . .” (Words of Joseph Smith, Thomas Bullock Report, 12 May 1844, pp.365-367, spelling not corrected).
Joseph Smith refers to a time of tribulation in the last days when the Lord sends a man to witness “to the whole world.” [10] The man is given keys of knowledge, power, and revelation as a testimony for all who dwell on earth. In the Covenant of Christ, we see similar verbiage describing the time Nephi sees stumbling blocks for the Gentiles removed.
“If the Gentiles then obey the Lamb of God, He’ll reveal Himself to them in word [knowledge] and power and in person [greatest revelation man may receive], in order to remove barriers to their [Gentiles] belief, and if they don’t harden their hearts against the Lamb of God, they’ll be included with your father’s descendants — indeed, they’ll be included as part of the house of Israel. . .” (CofC 1 Nephi 3:25; emphasis added).
When the witness to the world appears, a parallel kingdom of the “accuser” rises in opposition to the God’s kingdom on earth. Identifying the kingdom of the accuser is not difficult if one explores the form the “accuser’s” opposition takes in past dispensations.
Abraham was confronted by the false priests of Elkkener, Zibnah, Mahmackrah, Koash, and a god like those of the Egyptians. They sought to offer Abraham in sacrifice to their idol God’s. [11]
Moses appeared before Pharaoh, throwing down Aaron’s staff, as it transforms into a large snake. In opposition, two priests of Egypt threw down their staffs, and were transformed as well. Moses’ serpent swallowed both snakes from the Egyptian priests. The power of God always exceeds the power of the “accuser.” [12]
When Jesus began His mortal ministry, His primary opposition were priests and rabbis of the Jewish faith. They opposed and maligned Jesus; eventually driving the effort to crucify their Savior. [13]
Abinadi stood before king Noah and his corrupt priests with their false teachings. When Noah was about to release Abinadi, the priests persuaded Noah to burn Abinadi. [14]
Joseph Smith saw the Father and Son in the grove; he shared the experience with religious ministers who persecuted and condemned him. [15]
In recent years, the narrative surrounding Joseph and Hyrum Smith’s murder has been challenged. The assertion a mob was responsible for their murders appears less plausible. An alternate theory is a possible conspiracy among polygamists in senior church positions orchestrating their murders to suppress Joseph and Hyrum’s opposition to the practice. Prominent descendants of polygamist men maintained control over the church for generations; assuring the original narrative tying Joseph Smith to the practice. Church members questioning the narrative are excommunicated for challenging the established narrative. Evidence used to affirm Joseph Smith’s “secret” support of polygamy are from questionable sources making claims many years after Joseph Smith’s passing.
Following the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum, church history was altered to link them to the practice. [16] Post Joseph Smith leadership willingly demeaned his reputation at the expense of his legacy to make legitimize polygamy. Supporting the polygamy narrative required Joseph Smith to be characterized as a liar, adulterer, and pedophile, all false claims.
Preserving the legitimacy of polygamy was not their primary objective. Their primary objective is preserving succession of authority by defending their right to Priesthood keys. The legitimacy of succession from Joseph Smith to Brigham Young could only be validated by claiming Joseph Smith secretly taught and participated in their adulterous practice. Contrary to the public teachings of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. A narrative was established claiming Joseph Smith, not Brigham Young introduced and practiced polygamy.[17] Supporting this claim required that Joseph be portrayed as a liar and pedophile. Church history was embellished to support the altered history. The concept of becoming “a liar for the Lord” became an acceptable practice when the subject of polygamy was introduced. Refuting the narrative with historical facts is grounds for excommunication today. [18] Vigorous defense of the polygamy narrative is essential because of questions it raises about the legitimacy of succession claims of authority.
Succession claims of divine authority through Joseph Smith are fiercely defended. Revelations like those received by Joseph Smith ceased being canonized after Joseph Smith’s death. Not only did they cease, but prophecies of Joseph are embellished, ignored, or redacted. It remains impressive that the churches survive and prosper solely on the strength of the Book of Mormon and the Lord’s revelations through Joseph Smith.
The remaining challenge for those claiming authority to preserve Joseph Smith’s legacy is their inability to understand, or expound doctrines taught by him.
The Davidic servant was introduced by Joseph Smith as recorded in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. [19] “Teachings” is a compilation by Joseph Fielding Smith, father-in-law to Bruce R. McConkie.
Following years of speculation and false claims by contemporary people, explanation of the Davidic servant was reduced to the following explanation:
“This wresting of the written word assumes that someone of prophetic stature will arise in the Church in the last days, to preside as a Second David, and to prepare the way before the Second Coming of the Son of Man. That there may be one or many brethren called David who preside over the Church in this dispensation is of no moment. The scriptures that speak of King David reigning in the last days are Messianic; they have reference to the Millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, The Davidic Myth, Bruce R. McConkie, p.518; emphasis added).
From time-to-time impostors appear claiming to fulfill prophecies of latter-day servants; be it the Davidic king or “one mighty and strong.” [20] The inability of people to discern between the impostor and real person is not reasonable justification for summarily dismissing Joseph Smith’s teachings. To do so is equally damning, whether as a tool of deception by a false prophet or a respected teacher with sincere but conflicting motives. Both are deceptive and misleading.
Joseph Smith was a dispensation head with substantial evidence supporting his claims of Divine guidance. McConkie’s declaration negating what Joseph Smith said is cavalier at best and arrogant at worst. It leads institutional followers of Joseph Smith to misquote, misinterpret, and misunderstand his revelations in defiance of the Lord’s revelation to His prophet. In support of McConkie’s view on the Davidic servant we read the following:
“It is spiritually perilous to go against the unanimous consensus of Church teaching, or to focus on a novel issue Church leaders never address. If the Lord wanted us to watch for a mortal Davidic Servant, He would direct His prophets [seeking to dismiss what Joseph Smith taught raises questions about them, not Joseph Smith’s claims] to expound those Scriptures to us in that light. But He hasn’t [is it because it’s not important or because they lack understanding of the subject?] and those who obsess about the Davidic Servant anyway are opening themselves to the temptation to disdain and lose faith in God’s chosen servants. There are numerous examples of people who started out with seeming spiritual zeal, looking for “hidden” or “advanced” truths in the scriptures, who ended up leaving the Church because they concluded its leaders weren’t “spiritual enough” (A Mortal Davidic Servant, Faithful Answers Informed Response, FAIR website).
This is an intellectual fallacy. It supports a false narrative that does not pass scrutiny. In the preface to the Doctrine & Covenants, the Lord reveals His objective for this and all Restorations.
“The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh-But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;” (RE T&C 54:4; emphasis added).
The primary objective for the Restoration is persuading mankind to stop trusting in other men, come to Him, obtain His word and declare it by His authority. We cannot be absolved of personal responsibility to save ourselves by shifting accountability to those beckoning others to follow them, like the man in white in Lehi’s dream. [21] It is significant the man wears white and remains unable to lead Lehi to the Tree of Life. [22]
When someone is endowed in the temple; they are to sanctify themselves in preparation for introduction at the veil and conversing directly with the Lord. That is the greater Melchizedek covenant Moses, and all true prophets teach the faithful to seek after. The Lord’s intent is for all men to be admitted through the veil into the His presence. [23] That is why Moses, in response to concerns that others beside him were prophesying said:
“Would to God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them.” [24]
The Lord’s desired outcome for the Restoration is to recover all mankind from the fall of Adam and restore them to His presence. First, by speaking through the veil and then enter through the veil into His presence thereafter. Anything less than this outcome is blindly languishing, wandering in dark mists of mortality. Dispelling the darkness for Lehi only came when he abandoned vicarious representation [following the man in white is Aaronic, vicarious representation] of the lesser covenant for calling upon God directly, personally.
The FAIR statement church members believe relies on unanimous, vicarious church leadership directives to prioritize doctrinal issues. Vicarious representation is a lesser law. If that statement were practiced by Lehi, he would have continued to wander through dark mists and never partaken of the fruit of the Tree of Life.
A thought experiment to test FAIR’s assertion would be to consider the Savior’s standing in the Jewish faith anciently. Jesus was a carpenter, a self-taught itinerant rabbi. His lack of formal training at the direction of established rabbis gave Him no formal standing or credibility among the rabbinical class.
The authority of Jesus was not institutional. In fact, God wrested all authority from the Jewish church when He sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus.
“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 82:14; emphasis added).
To contemporary Jews in the days of John the Baptist and Jesus, John held more authority than Jesus. The firstborn son of Zacharias, a Jewish high priest, John had a claim to the Aaronic Priesthood by virtue of his birth.
In contrast, Jesus only had the testimony of John the Baptist and the inherent credibility of the Father’s teachings as a witness of His authority.
“And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings with his disciples, the people were astonished at his teachings, for he taught them as one having authority from God and not as having authority from the scribes” (RE Matthew 3:49; emphasis added).
Herein is the test. Applying FAIR’s logic to the Savior’s mortal ministry raises the question, “Would one be more likely to receive the Savior and His teachings or less likely?” Not only would one be less likely to receive Him; by FAIR’s standard we may find ourselves aligned with those who crucified Him. A spiritually toxic combination.
What is to be done when a dispensation head [Joseph Smith] expounds a prophecy that is summarily dismissed by someone claiming apostolic authority hundreds of years after the dispensation head declares the prophecy? Is the apostle's institutional authority transcendent over the authority of the dispensation head who received his authority by God’s voice? [25]
The FAIR assertion is disconcerting. The basic assumption is God appointed men to preside over the institution, not by His own voice [literally] but by “appointed succession” to preserve continuity. The presumption being, if the God preserves the life of a leader long enough, they become “the prophet.” The fact they have a pulse when their turn arrives is sufficient to claim divine institutional authority. As such, the collective institution, while not individually infallible, has collective infallibility in the current narrative. In this context, does the collective policy [presumed revelation] supersede doctrinal, prophetic teachings from a foundational dispensation head?
Is it possible the modern iteration of the institution doesn’t understand what Joseph Smith taught on some subjects, closing the matter out of a lack of understanding? Not because it isn’t important, but because it threatens established authority and conflicts with current narratives.
Is it justifiable to dismiss a prophecy because self-proclaimed candidates with questionable motives lead uninformed people to embrace false claims? Should that raise concerns of unintended consequences when pre-emptive uniformity supersedes concerns about fulfilling prophecy?
Another possibility is modern revelation in the institution works differently than in Joseph Smith’s time. In Joseph Smith’s day modern revelation expanded light and knowledge. In the modern institution, the canon of scripture has not expanded and leans more toward policy changes as opposed to declarative statements in the Lord’s voice. Consequently, doctrinal obsolescence replaces a growing body of robust revelation in the Lord’s voice.
What Bruce R. McConkie did to Joseph Smith with his explanation and rejection of “The Davidic Myth” is done to his personal teachings as well. In years past McConkie’s voice became the primary doctrinal authority in the church generally. His books were quoted throughout most congregations.
I inherited my mother’s an original copy of “Mormon Doctrine.” McConkie's controversial views on the Catholic Church and Blacks being restricted from receiving the Priesthood are in direct contradiction to current church policy. McConkie was pressured to change the text to restate his original opinions, aligning them with the church's established narrative.
The ultimate example of doctrinal obsolescence was replacing “Mormon Doctrine” with “LDS Beliefs” as the authoritative doctrinal reference book. The role of revelation in present day institutions has become a moving target, adapting doctrines and sources to modern applications. With interpretative innovations, one can only wonder if God was mistaken in the earlier iterations? Was Joseph Smith misled? Or does current leadership have extraordinary spiritual and cognitive abilities transcending Joseph Smith? Must it be one or the other?
Sometime after the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, current church leadership gained infallibility through unanimity. Something never accomplished at the founding of the Restoration.
A question rarely considered is why the Lord allowed Joseph and Hyrum Smith to be murdered? The Lord had sufficient power and knowledge to prevent it. What are the implications for the church when the brothers were taken? The Lord appointed Joseph Smith as first elder of the church and Hyrum as Joseph’s designated successor. [26] These events were known in advance by God. Why did the Lord conclude the time for their deaths arrived?
Given events following their untimely deaths, it would be difficult to argue the institution was blessed as they fled Nauvoo in the dead of winter.[27] Is it possible the early saints replicated the same circumstances as Israel in the days of Moses?
“Now, this, Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel [as Joseph Smith did the early saints] 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. . .” (RE T&C 82:13-14; emphasis added).
The suffering and sacrifices of early saints are rightfully praised and extolled by their descendants, but their suffering may be directly attributed to abominable behavior of senior officials secretly practicing plural marriage while diverting resources from the construction of Nauvoo Temple. [28] In the prior footnote, the Lord’s warning does not address future conduct. The warning addresses “follies and abominations” they were already engaged in. Exactly the opposite circumstances and outcome of Kirtland’s Temple construction. It was completed and accepted by the Lord in their sacrifice and poverty.
If circumstances mirror those of ancient Israel’s when the Lord withdrew Moses and the Holy Priesthood, the exodus from Nauvoo to Salt Lake becomes the Gentile version of Israel’s wilderness experience, without the Melchizedek Priesthood. Joseph Smith and the holy Priesthood were simultaneously removed. [29] What remained would be Aaronic and preparatory, lacking in its ability to restore mankind to God’s presence. [30]
The End Time Servant- A Line in the Sand for the Gentiles
The life and ministry of Jesus was a proverbial line in the sand for Jews in the Savior’s time. The same may be said of the end times servant’s ministry to the Gentiles. [31] When the servant completes his ministry, the consequences for two groups determine if they experience blessings or curses.
“Then the Angel told me: You’ve seen that if the Gentiles repent, it will turn out well for them. You also know about the Lord’s covenants with the house of Israel. And you’ve also heard that whoever doesn’t repent must perish. As a result, if the Gentiles harden their hearts against the Lamb of God, I will afflict them. Because the time will come, says the Lamb of God, when I’ll bring about a great and awe-inspiring work among mankind, one that will be everlasting — one way or the other — either to convince them, resulting in peace and life eternal; or to give them up to their hard hearts and blind minds, bringing about their slavery and temporal and spiritual destruction, under the accuser’s enslavement which I’ve spoken about” (C of C 1 Nephi 3:26; emphasis added).
The “great and awe-inspiring work” is accomplished by the Lord through the end-time servant. Whether or not Gentiles embrace his work, repent and come to God determines an “everlasting” outcome for the Gentiles. Everlasting because it involves the Spirit of Elijah, the sealing power, and the Priesthood fullness. Those who repent are given “everlasting” peace and eternal life.
Those who disbelieve and reject revelations of the end times servant harden their hearts against the Lord and him. Their minds are blinded and become slaves of the “accuser,” being led to temporal and spiritual destruction.
In the prior verse the angel shows Nephi the respective fates of those who repent in contrast to those who harden their hearts:
“If the Gentiles then obey the Lamb of God, He’ll reveal Himself to them in word and power and in person, in order to remove barriers to their belief, and if they don’t harden their hearts against the Lamb of God, they’ll be included with your father’s descendants — indeed, they’ll be included as part of the house of Israel. And they’ll become a blessed family in the promised land forever. They won’t be enslaved anymore, and the house of Israel won’t be embarrassed anymore. And the great pit dug for them by that utterly wicked church, which the accuser and his followers founded so that he could take people’s souls down to hell — that great pit dug for people’s destruction will be filled with those who dug it, to their complete destruction, says the Lamb of God — not the destruction of the soul, but throwing it into that endless [everlasting] hell. This is according to the accuser’s imprisonment, and according to God’s justice as well, upon all those who insist on doing wicked and corrupt [corrupt in that true doctrines are corrupted by them] things in God’s sight” (CofC 1 Nephi 3:25; emphasis added).
The Lord’s introduction of His servant has consequences that reverberate throughout eternity. The effects are “everlasting,” for both the penitent and the unrepentant.
Consider the composition of the “pit” dug by the “accuser” and those who follow him to bring men’s souls down to hell? It isn’t literal but metaphorical. The tools of the accuser are lies and deception. [32] When Satan seeks to deceive, he rarely appears in direct, open opposition to truth. His preference is to alter true principles and corrupt their application. He does the same with organizations originally founded by God but fall out of favor due to disobedience.
When Moses and the greater Priesthood were removed from Israel, a lesser, preparatory law and Priesthood replaced it. One given by God “in His wrath” because they rejected Moses and the Priesthood leading them into God’s presence. [33] The lesser Priesthood was practiced by Israel after Moses and the holy Priesthood was removed because of corruption. Revelation was replaced by rabbinical interpretation and eventually was overthrown by John the Baptist in preparation for the Savior' coming.
The transformative power of the greater Priesthood was replaced with the belief salvation came through devoted scholarship to the law and rote obedience to ritual. What began as “a means to an end” became the end in itself.
“In Ezekiel 34: 11-12 it is written: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds: woe be unto the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.”
This description could be applied with several layers of meaning. However, the one I like best is the interpretation which relates “feeding” to teaching truths. Shepherds were given the calling of teaching the “flocks” of Israel higher truths which would exalt them. However, they instead focused their ministry upon things which were trivial, [34] did not raise the inner lives of the “flocks,” and stirred up those who followed them into envy and strife. These shepherds were unworthy, condemned with the pronouncement of “woe” upon them and warned by the prophet.
Fortunately, Ezekiel’s message goes on to promise that in the latter-days the Lord will “both search [His] sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” (34: 11-12.) We are in that latter-day time now. He is seeking. But notice that throughout the description of His latter-day work, He alone takes credit for finding and feeding. (34: 13-17.)
When He has gathered enough to establish again His kingdom, He will then make a new day in which “my servant David” will be the “one shepherd” over them, in that Millennial Day. (34: 22-24.)
We’re supposed to be getting gathered now in anticipation of becoming numerous enough for there to be a Millennial King provided for us. We’re supposed to be in contact with the Lord as He alone gathers us in this latter-day. It is a glorious vision for which we should rejoice” (Shepherds of Israel blog post, Denver Snuffer Jr., March 14, 2010; emphasis added). [35]
When the Savior restored the greater Priesthood the “accuser” persuaded Jews to reject it in favor of the lesser law. It lacked power to save. Satan’s strategy was never to create an opposing, separate structure. He sought to corrupt practices of the original structure through lies and deception. [36] Satan co-opts sincere, devout people convinced they are God’s chosen. [37]
Strict obedience to a lesser law lacking power to save is the strategy of the “accuser.” The proverbial “pit” for Jews in the Savior’s time were rabbinical teachings as a shadow of true teachings. Herein lies the “pit” false teachers dig. Those perpetuating false traditions and those led by them fall into the pit they have dug. [38]
Like in the days of Moses, Jesus, and Joseph Smith, the Lord’s servant comes as a witness to the world. He obtains the Spirit of Elijah and the fullness of Priesthood, but many reject him and the Lord’s words. They believe institutional teachings promoting rote obedience to a lesser law as the means of salvation. [39] In the last day they know with certainty they have not chosen wisely.
“On the 13th of February 2003 I saw the Lord coming in His glory. At first a sign appeared in the heavens, a light emanating from a single point and turning first this way and that. All the world saw it, and men debated over its meaning. At length the light turned upon us and within it was the Lord, showing His glory, with concourses of angels and the hosts of Heaven following in His wake.
And when we saw that it was the Lord we rejoiced and were filled with joy. I turned to my wife and said, Look, it is Christ!, and she said, Yes, it is! And we were filled with joy and peace of mind, for the long awaited day of the Lord had come.
But others were filled with dread. They feared and lamented and wanted the mountains to cover them and hide them from His presence, for he was clothed in red and came in judgment. And Christian ministers knew they had taught falsely and that their faith could not save — and they begged for relief from the Saints.
This caused me to marvel at how this could be. It was given unto me to understand that without the ordinances of salvation through the authorized ministers of the gospel it was not possible for men to shed their sins. And they could not look upon a just and holy Being without being racked with torment and guilt for their sins. And they pled with the Saints to minister to them, but we could not, for we were constrained by the spirit and were forbidden to do so. For this was the day of judgment which the Lord had in His heart, and he was now come to preach His own sermon, clothed in red, and to deliver those who waited on Him and to convict and condemn those who had not.
I write this in my own hand and bear solemn testimony that it is true. Amen. When I had finished recording the foregoing account I replied to the Lord that it was not complete and that I could give a much fuller account. The Lord replied, When the time comes to bear testimony of this, these are the words you shall use. And many other things were told to me that cannot be written” (RE T&C 160; emphasis added).
[1] “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 is called the doctrine of Elias, even from the early ages of the world. . . What I want to impress upon your minds is the difference of power in the different parts of the Priesthood, so that when any man comes among you, saying, “I have the spirit of Elias” you can know whether he be true or false; for any man that comes, having the spirit and power of Elias, he will not transcend his bounds. John [the Baptist] did not transcend his bounds, but faithfully performed that part belonging to his office. . . and it is necessary to know who holds the keys of power, and who does not, or we may be likely to be deceived. That person who holds the keys of Elias hath a preparatory work. . . This is the Elias spoken of in the last days, and here is the rock upon which many split, thinking the time was past in the days of John and Christ, and no more to be. But the spirit of Elias was revealed to me, and I know it is true; therefore I speak with boldness, for I know verily my doctrine is true” (TPJS., pp.336-337; emphasis added).
[2] Those who become the sons and daughters of Christ by spiritual adoption are of the royal lineage as well as those born literally in the literal lineage of Jesse, David’s father.
“Now these are the words king Benjamin hoped to hear from them. Therefore he told them: You’ve said the words I wanted to hear, and the covenant you’ve made is a righteous covenant. Now because of the covenant you’ve made, you’ll be called the sons and daughters of Jesus Christ. Today, He has spiritually begotten you. You’ve said your hearts have changed through faith in His name. As a result, you’re born of Him and have become His sons and daughters. You’re now free under His wings, and there’s no other Savior under whose wings you can be sheltered. There’s no other name given through which salvation comes. Therefore all of you who have made the covenant with God to be obedient for the remainder of your lives, take upon yourselves the name of Christ. Those who do this will be found at the right hand of God and will answer to the name of Christ” (CofC Mosiah 3:2; emphasis added).
[3] “On the 10th day of September, 2011 the word of the Lord said to me, You shall no longer be called Denver, but your name shall be called David. I was startled to hear this, and it troubled me. I regarded David as an adulterer and a murderer, who killed Uriah to hide his adultery. In response to Nathan’s parable of the rich man who took the poor man’s lamb in 2 Samuel 4:12, David condemned himself to die for his sin. If David considered himself worthy to die, then should I not also condemn David? The more I reflected on this, the more troubled I became. I asked God to give to me another name, not the unwanted David. For a day and a half my distress grew, and I prayed repeatedly to have the name changed. I feared it memorialized and perhaps also foreshadowed failure and rebellion. I did not want to have the Lord view me as either rebellious or a failure. I thought the name was detestable, the name of a bloody man who was unfit to build the Lord’s house, whose family was torn apart by infighting. After a day and a half of prayer asking to change the name, the Lord answered in a perfectly mild voice saying, I thought it no great insult to be called the Son of David.
His gentle response cut my heart and made me ashamed. I learned David means: Beloved of God. This made me all the more embarrassed at how meanly I had reacted and spoken to the Lord about His gift to me. Instead of thinking it an unworthy name, I concluded I was unworthy of His gift. I asked Him to forgive me and he frankly did so. I am an ignorant and prideful man. I expected to keep this private, and after doing so for six years, I have been commanded to make this known” (RE T&C 162:1-4; emphasis added).
[4] “The name of Jacob was given by man (his father); the name of Israel was given by God (his Heavenly Father). God giving someone a new name is a profound event. It signifies that person has a newness of life with Him. Receiving a new name from God also marks entry into His family, for when God gives a name, He is adopting into His family. He names someone because they belong to Him” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, New Name, second edition, p.218; emphasis added).
[5] “At that time, to advance My cause, the Father will begin a work, which will be a great and awe-inspiring work among them. There will be many who won’t believe it, although a man will tell it to them. But the ministry of My servant will be led by My hand; therefore they won’t be able to harm his work, although he’ll be opposed and discredited by them. Yet I’ll support him; I’ll show them My wisdom is greater than the accuser’s deceitful scheming. Therefore those who won’t believe in My words, and I Am Jesus Christ, which the Father will give and empower that servant to set before the Gentiles, it will result exactly as Moses said: They will be cut off from My people who are part of the covenant. And then you, a remnant of the house of Jacob, will rise up from them. And you’ll be mixed in with them who will outnumber you. You’ll be among them like a lion among his prey in the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who moves unopposed to take down and tear to pieces. Your hand will be against your opponents and all your enemies will be cut down. Yes, woe to the Gentiles unless they repent: For when that day comes, says the Father, I’ll take away your [Gentiles] strength from you, and I’ll destroy your security. Your cities will fall and I’ll break open your guarded borders. Your sciences and learning will turn into foolishness, and your false beliefs will cause your failure. I’ll expose the fraud of those in authority, and your trusted institutions will lose everyone’s loyalty. False prophets and false ministers will be brought to shame and humiliation. All lying, deceiving, envying, strife, priestcraft, and whoredoms will come to an end. At that time, says the Father, I’ll cut down anyone who won’t repent and draw near to My Beloved Son to preserve My people, the house of Israel. I’ll take vengeance and unleash My fierce anger on all the unbelieving, beyond anything they expect” (C of C 3 Nephi 9:12; emphasis added).
[6] “Now for Elijah. 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, to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, even unto those who are in heaven. Malachi says, “I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (TPJS., p.337).
[7] John referred to is the Savior’s disciple John the Beloved, also the revelator, the only disciple of Jesus translated without dying. He is shown the “messenger” and “witness” to the world because John plays a role in fulfilling this prophecy. John’s role was revealed to Joseph Smith by revelation:
“Question: What are we to understand by the little book which was eaten by John, as mentioned in the 10th chapter of Revelation [Rev. 3:13]?Answer: We are to understand that it was a mission and an ordinance for him [John the Beloved] to gather the tribes of Israel [including repentant Gentiles]. Behold, this is Elias [Aaronic forerunner prepares the way for a greater work] who, as it is written, must come and restore all things” (RE T&C 74:14; emphasis added).
John the Beloved, as a translated being becomes a ministering angel for mortals qualifying as “heirs of salvation.” (see RE T&C 1, Joseph Smith History 13:18-19; emphasis added). John’s responsibility or “mission and ordinance” is to gather Israel and restore all things. John becomes a ministering angel ministering to “heirs of salvation” who are mortals that become the means for accomplishing John’s mission and ordinance. Specifically, John’s mortal counterpart is a servant of God directed by John as he initially fulfills John’s preparatory Aaronic role of Elias in gathering Israel and restoring “all things.” The mortal who shares in fulfilling John the Beloved’s role is the “root of Jesse” whom the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith:
“Question: What is the Root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter [Isa. 5:4]?Answer: Behold, thus says the Lord: It is a descendant of Jesse as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the Priesthood and the keys of the Kingdom, for an ensign and for the gathering of my people [Israel] in the last day” (RE T&C 129:3; emphasis added). The “root of Jesse,” Davidic king, latter-day David spoken of by Joseph Smith, is the Lord’s witness to the world. The foundation for Zion is laid by him at the direction of John the Beloved and then he restores the Priesthood fullness when Elijah opens a conduit [“ensign”] between Heaven and earth. Once open, the “Powers of Heaven” descendant and the Patriarchal Fathers descend to assist their posterity in claiming covenant promises the Lord made to them while mortal. That is when the knowledge, power, and “in person” occurs. The Lord as the “Power of Heaven” returns to Zion to dwell in the midst of His people.
[8] “For he that receives my servants receives me (T&C 82:17). The word “servants” in this context means “angels.” Angel is derived from the Greek word ággelos [ἄγγελος] which means “messenger.” The messenger must bring a message from the Lord. It does not matter if the messenger is mortal.1 The word describes a category of messenger that includes not only pre-mortal and post-mortal spirits, but also living men. When anyone, man or angel, is entrusted with a message from God, the message is God’s. God makes no distinction between the messenger and Himself. . .” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, Angel, second edition, pp.9-10; emphasis added).
[9] “Question: What are we to understand by the little book which was eaten by John, as mentioned in the 10th chapter of Revelation [Rev. 3:13]?Answer: We are to understand that it was a mission and an ordinance for him [John the Beloved] to gather the tribes of Israel. Behold, this is Elias who, as it is written, must come and restore all things” (RE T&C 74:14; emphasis added).
[10] “This parable is designed to forewarn us. Being forewarned should prepare us. Above all, the parable should instruct us to never lose faith. Never let your own impatience confuse you about God’s love or His fairness. He will vindicate every word He has spoken. In modern revelation He has reiterated: “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled.” (D&C 1: 38.) The final, short parable describes conditions immediately preceding the Second Coming. Christ told this parable a few days before the one of the unjust judge. I have inverted the order because of the message of these two parables. Concerning the day of His return, the Lord spoke this parable: “For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” (Matt. 24: 28.) The message is short, but filled with meaning. In this parable the “carcase” should not be interpreted as something dead, but as a symbol communicating something about gathering found in nature. It is not negative. It is a symbol of the true body of believers. Around them, the “eagles” will gather. This is a reference to angelic visitation, or an angelic presence which hovers about the body of true believers in the last days. The body of believers, the real body which has saving faith, will attract “the eagles” to gather with them. That is, angels minister to, fellowship with, and are looking over that small body of believers who will be prepared for the Second Coming. Any body of believers who do not have the heavenly eagles ministering to them is not prepared for His coming. Moroni explained the awful fate of people who claim to have the truth, but among whom angels have ceased to minister: God will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased? Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved? Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain. For no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these things have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made. (Moro. 7: 35–38.) Christ intended for true, living faith to continue. The fullness of His Gospel will only continue at His coming among people who are patient, who trust in His deliverance, even if it seems He delays His coming. And the body of believers who will be prepared are those to whom angels will continue to minister. Every other group may claim to be the Lord’s, but the true body will attract the gathering of eagles. (Snuffer Jr., Denver C.. Come, Let Us Adore Him (Function) pp.173-174; emphasis added, Kindle Edition).
[11] “And it came to pass that the priests laid violence upon me that they might slay me also, as they did those virgins, upon this altar. And that you might have a knowledge of this altar, I will refer you to the representation at the commencement of this record. It was made after the form of a bedstead, such as was had among the Chaldeans, and it stood before the gods of Elkkener, Zibnah, Mahmackrah, Koash, and also a god like unto that of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. That you may have an understanding of these gods, I have given you the fashion of them in the figures at the beginning, which manner of the figures is called by the Chaldeans Kahleenos, which signifies hieroglyphics” (RE T&C 145, Abraham 1:4; emphasis added).
[12] “And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Show a miracle, that I may know you — then you shall say unto Aaron, Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers. Now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments, for they cast down every man his rod and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh hardened his heart, that he listened not unto them, as the Lord had said” (RE Exodus 4:11; emphasis added).
[13] “Now it was common at the feast for Pilate to release unto them one prisoner, whomever they desired. And there was a man named Barabbas, bound with them who had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. And the multitude, crying aloud, began to desire him to deliver Jesus unto them. But Pilate answered unto them, saying, Do you desire that I release unto you the king of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. But the chief priests moved the people that he should rather release Barabbas unto them, as he had before done unto them. And Pilate spoke again, and said unto them, What do you desire then that I shall do with him whom you call the king of the Jews? And they cried out again, Deliver him unto us to be crucified! Away with him! Crucify him! Then Pilate said unto them, Why? What evil has he done? But they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him! And now Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified” (RE Mark 7:21; emphasis added).
[14] “Now king Noah was about to release him, because he was afraid of what he had been told, and worried God’s judgments would fall on him. But the priests cried out loudly in opposition, accusing and claiming: He’s insulted the king! So the king was provoked to anger against him, and he instead decided to have him executed” (CofC Mosiah 9:4; emphasis added).
[15] “Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in company with one of the Methodist preachers who was very active in the before-mentioned religious excitement, and conversing with him on the subject of religion, I took occasion to give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was greatly surprised at his behavior. He treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the Devil, that there was no such thing as visions or revelations in these days, that all such things had ceased with the apostles and that there never would be any more of them. I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution which continued to increase. And though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age or thereabouts, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me and create a hot persecution. And this was common among all the sects: all united to persecute me. It has often caused me serious reflection, both then and since, how very strange it was that an obscure boy of a little over fourteen years of age, and one, too, who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily labor, should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day, so as to create in them a spirit of the bitterest persecution and reviling” (RE T&C 1 Joseph Smith History section 1, part 2:8; emphasis added).
[16] “As soon as Joseph Smith died, a spirited competition developed to control the documents and access to information. One writer described it:
The official History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [6] was published in book form under the direction of the First Presidency in 1902. The introductory assurance that “no historical or doctrinal statement has been changed” is demonstrably wrong. Overshadowed by editorial censorship, hundreds of deletions, additions, and alterations, these seven volumes are not always reliable. …The nineteenth-century propaganda mill was so adroit that few outside Brigham Young’s inner circle were aware of the behind-the-scenes alterations so seamlessly stitched into church history. Charles Wesley Wandell, an assistant church historian, was aghast at these emendations. Commenting on the many changes made in the historical work as it was being serialized in the Deseret News, Wandell noted in his diary: “I notice the interpolations because having been employed in the Historian’s office at Navuoo by Doctor Richards, and employed, too, in 1845, in compiling this very autobiography, I know that after Joseph’s death his memoir was ‘doctored’ to suit the new order of things, and this, too, by the direct order of Brigham Young to Doctor Richards and systematically by Richards.” The Quorum of the Twelve, under Brigham Young’s leadership, began altering the historical record shortly after Smith’s death. Contrary to the introduction’s claim, Smith did not author the History of the Church. At the time of his 1844 death, the narrative had been written up to 5 August 1838.[7] Today our challenge is two-fold: First, finding the truth through the deliberate efforts to conceal and modify the record. Second, once found, whether we will accept in gratitude what God offered by repenting and returning to His path. We fail these tests when we ignore, oppose, dismiss, reject and allow our fear to control us. As Christ said the day of His resurrection: “O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” [8] Nothing has changed. Our challenge is identical to that faced by all believers since Adam” (Snuffer, Denver. Preserving the Restoration, pp.V-Vi, (Function). Kindle Edition.
[17] See “First LDS Polygamist: Joseph or Brigham? By Rob Fotheringham on YouTube
[18] Karen Hyatt
[19] “Christ, in the days of His flesh, proposed to make a covenant with them, but they rejected Him and His proposals, and in consequence thereof, they were broken off, and no covenant was made with them at that time. But their unbelief has not rendered the promise of God of none effect: no, for there was another day limited in David, which was the day of His power; and then His people, Israel, should be a willing people;—and He would write His law in their hearts, and print it in their thoughts; their sins and their iniquities He would remember no more” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (p. 13; emphasis added). (Function). Kindle Edition).
“Although David was a king, he never did obtain the spirit and power of Elijah and the fullness of the Priesthood; and the Priesthood that he received, and the throne and kingdom of David is to be taken from him and given to another by the name of David in the last days, raised up out of his lineage” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (p. 389). (Function). Kindle Edition.
[20] “. . . Yea, so says the still small voice which whispers through and pierces all things, and often times it makes my bones to quake while it makes manifest, saying, And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words, while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the House of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritance of the saints, whose names are found, and the names of their fathers and of their children, enrolled in the Book of the Law of God; while that man who was called of God, and appointed, that puts forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning” (RE T&C 83:4; emphasis added). I make no personal claims to either position.
[21] ” While my father was there in the wilderness, he told us: I’ve had a dream, or in other words, I’ve seen a vision. Because of what I’ve seen, I have reason to praise the Lord about Nephi, and about Sam as well. I have reason to think they will be saved along with many of their descendants. But, Laman and Lemuel, I’m very concerned for you. Indeed, it seemed like I saw a dark and gloomy wilderness. And I saw a man dressed in a white robe who stood before me. He talked to me and said I should follow him. As I followed him, I saw I was in a dark and dreary wasteland. After I had traveled for many hours in darkness, I began to pray to the Lord to help me, because of His many tender mercies.
After I had prayed to the Lord, I saw a large and spacious field. Then I saw a tree with fruit that would make people happy. I went and ate some of the fruit, discovering it was sweet beyond measure, better than all that I had ever tasted before. I noticed its fruit was white, brighter than I had ever seen.
As I ate the fruit, it made my soul very joyful. . . ” (CofC 1 Nephi 2:7-9; emphasis added).
[22] “I'm going to read from The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. I want to draw a contrast. I want to
draw a comparison between the attitude we found at the beginning of the restoration, and the
attitude that subsequently took over:
"President Joseph Smith read the 14th chapter of Ezekiel--said the Lord
had declared by the Prophet, that the people should each one stand for himself, and depend on no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish church--that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls--applied it to the present state of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--said if the people departed from the Lord, they must fall--that they were depending on the Prophet, hence were darkened in their minds, in consequence of neglecting the duties devolving upon themselves, envious towards the innocent, while they afflict the virtuous with their shafts of envy." (TPJS p. 237-238.)
That was a call by Joseph Smith for the Saints to rise up. That was a call by Joseph Smith for the
Saints to lay hold upon the promises he had heard from Moroni. We began talking about that topic
back in the first talk in Boise. Joseph wanted the Saints to rise up and become a people of God, a
people holiness, those who could and would were to commune with God. This is Joseph declaring
it! I want you to contrast that, with this statement:
"We can accept nothing as authoritative but that which comes directly through the appointed channel, the constituted organizations of the priesthood, which is the channel that God has appointed, through which to make known His mind and will to the world.” That’s on page 42 of Gospel Doctrine.
We have a myth that, unlike every other dispensation, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints claims it cannot lead you astray.
Again reading from Gospel Doctrine:
"If any man in that position [referring to the Church President],
should become unfaithful, God would remove him out of his place. I testify in the name of Israel's God, that he will not suffer the head of the Church, whom he has chosen to stand at the head, to transgress His laws and apostatize. The moment he should take a course that would in time lead to it, God would take him away."
That's from page 44.
I don't know - I get in trouble when I'm tempted to say things like what I'm going to say next. My
wife is counseling against it by shaking her head at me because she anticipates when I will say
something like this. Against her wise counsel I will admit I've spoken with brother Joseph F. Smith.
He rues having taught that. I can tell you if he were here today, with what he knows now, he would
not declare that doctrine. He would retract it and repent of having used the name of Israel's God in
connection with a false doctrine. Make no mistake about it - that is a false doctrine” (Zion, Denver Snuffer Jr., pp.4-5; emphasis added).
[23] “And this greater Priesthood administers the gospel and holds the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof the power of godliness is manifest, and without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the Priesthood [Melchizedek], the power of godliness is not manifest unto man in the flesh, for without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.
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 82:12-14; emphasis added).
[24] “. . . Would to God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them. . .” (RE Numbers 7:19).
[25] “Now Melchizedek was a man of faith who wrought righteousness. And when a child, he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire. And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained a high priest after the Order of the covenant which God made with Enoch, it being after the Order of the Son of God, which Order came not by man, nor the will of men, neither by father nor mother, neither by beginning of days nor end of years, but of God. And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name” (RE Genesis 7:18; emphasis added).
[26] “And again, truly I say unto you that my servant William be appointed, ordained, and anointed as a counselor unto my servant Joseph, in the room of my servant Hyrum, that my servant Hyrum may take the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his father by blessing, and also by right, that from here on out he shall hold the keys of the Patriarchal blessings upon the heads of all my people, that whoever he blesses shall be blessed and whoever he curses shall be cursed, that whatever he shall bind on the earth shall be bound in Heaven, and that whatever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. And from this time forth I appoint unto him that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my church, as well as my servant Joseph, that he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph, and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessings. I crown upon his head the bishopric, and blessing, and glory, and honor, and Priesthood, and gifts of the Priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery, that my servant Hyrum may bear record of the things which I shall show unto him, that his name may be had in honorable remembrance from generation to generation for ever and ever” (RE T&C 141:32; emphasis).
[27] “And truly I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name that I may reveal my ordinances therein unto my people, for I deign to reveal unto my church things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fullness of times. And I will show unto my servant Joseph all things pertaining to this house and the Priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built. And you shall build it on the place where you have contemplated building it, for that is the spot which I have chosen for you to build it. If you labor with all your mights, I will consecrate that spot that it shall be made holy. And if my people will hearken unto my voice and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, truly I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place. But if they will not hearken to my voice, nor unto the voice of these men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blessed, because they pollute my holy grounds, and my holy ordinances and charters, and my holy words which I give unto them. And it shall come to pass that if you build a house unto my name and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfill the promises which you expect at my hands, says the Lord. For instead of blessings, you, by your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon your own heads, by your follies and by all your abominations which you practice before me, says the Lord” (RE T& 141:13-14; emphasis added).
[28] ”And truly I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name that I may reveal my ordinances therein unto my people, for I deign to reveal unto my church things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fullness of times. And I will show unto my servant Joseph all things pertaining to this house and the Priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built. And you shall build it on the place where you have contemplated building it, for that is the spot which I have chosen for you to build it. If you labor with all your mights, I will consecrate that spot that it shall be made holy. And if my people will hearken unto my voice and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, truly I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place.
But if they will not hearken to my voice, nor unto the voice of these men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blessed, because they pollute my holy grounds, and my holy ordinances and charters, and my holy words which I give unto them. And it shall come to pass that if you build a house unto my name and do not do the things that I say, I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfill the promises which you expect at my hands, says the Lord. For instead of blessings, you, by your own works, bring cursings, wrath, indignation, and judgments upon your own heads, by your follies and by all your abominations which you practice before me, says the Lord” (RE T&C 141:13-14; emphasis added).
[29] “. . . For there is not place found on the earth that he may come and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he has taken away, even the fullness of the Priesthood” (RE T&C 141:10; emphasis added).
[30] “One of them [wicked priest of Noah] asked him: What do the following words from scripture mean, that were taught to us by our fathers? How welcome on the mountain are the footsteps of those announcing good news, that proclaim peace, that report coming good fortune, announcing victory, telling Zion: Your God reigns! Listen, your border guards shout out together their joyful praise, for everyone will witness the Lord’s return to Zion. Everyone will proclaim together, O ruins of Jerusalem! The Lord now comforts you His people, coming to redeem Jerusalem. The Lord will bare His holy arm in the sight of every nation, and all will see God’s victory to the very end of the earth. Then Abinadi asked them: Aren’t you priests who claim to teach this people and to understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet you need me to explain to you what these things mean? I tell you: Woe to you for perverting the Lord’s ways! Because, if you understand these things, you haven’t taught them. Therefore you’ve perverted the Lord’s ways. 27You haven’t devoted yourselves in order to understand; therefore you are unwise. What then do you teach this people? And they replied: We teach the Law of Moses [Aaronic Covenant]. Then he asked them: If you teach the Law of Moses, why don’t you keep it? Why do you set your hearts on being rich? Why do you commit whoredoms and dissipate yourselves with prostitutes and lead this people to commit sin, making it necessary for the Lord to send me to prophesy against this people — indeed, a terrible judgment coming for this people? Don’t you know I speak the truth? Yes, you know that I speak the truth; and you ought to tremble before God. You’ll be afflicted because of your iniquities, since you’ve said that you teach the Law of Moses. But what do you know about the Law of Moses? Does salvation come by the Law of Moses? What do you think? And they responded, saying salvation did come by the Law of Moses. 33But Abinadi said to them: I know if you keep God’s commandments, you will be saved-. . .” (CofC Mosiah 7:17-18; emphasis added).
[31] “And when that day shall come shall a remnant be scattered among all nations; but they shall be gathered again, but they shall remain until the times of the gentiles be fulfilled. And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion. And men’s hearts shall fail them and shall say that Christ delays his coming until the end of the world, and the love of men shall wax cold and iniquity shall abound. And when the times of the gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fullness of my gospel, but they receive it not, for they perceive not the light and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men. And in that generation shall the times of the gentiles be fulfilled. . .” (RE T&C 31:6-7; emphasis added).
[32] ”. . . Your refusal to hearken and submit to my teachings makes you deaf indeed. Your father is the accuser, and you share the envy and rebellion of your father. He was a rebellious destroyer from the beginning, and fought against the truth, because he prefers lies. When he spreads a lie, he advances his agenda. He is the source of deceit in this fallen world. And because I am the Source of truth, you are unable to believe me. Which of you can truthfully show that I have missed the mark? And if I teach the truth, why do you refuse to believe me? Everyone who follows the Most High God hearkens to God’s words. Because you do not follow the Most High God, you cannot hear him” (RE T&C 171 Testimony of Saint John 6:19; emphasis added).
[33] ” 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 82:14; emphasis added).
[34] “However the Jews were a stubborn group, and they treated plain words with disdain and killed the prophets, and only wanted things they couldn’t understand. Therefore because of their blindness, which came from looking beyond the mark, they couldn’t help but fall. So God removed His plain word from them and left them with things they can’t understand, like they wanted. Therefore God lets them puzzle and argue” (CofC Jacob 3:5; emphasis added).
[35] “Now I need to read you something. This is Ezekiel 33:25-34:31:
“Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour’s wife: and shall ye possess the land? Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through [the Gentiles suffer a similar fate for the same conduct]. Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed. Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them. AND the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves anymore; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.
Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.”
I was required to read that, but I am not required, and will not comment. You wouldn’t want to hear my comments anyway. But you should apply these verses to us today” (Zions Return, Part 2, Denver Snuffer Jr., September 16, 2019; emphasis added).
[36] ”. . . And that wicked one comes and takes away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers. . .” (RE T&C 93:11; emphasis added).
[37] “O you wicked, perverse, and stubborn people, why have you built up churches to yourselves to get money? Why have you altered God’s holy word so as to bring condemnation on your souls? Look to God’s revelations, because the time is coming when all these things will certainly be fulfilled. The Lord has shown me great and awe-inspiring things about what’s going to take place soon after these words appear among you. Now, I speak to you as though you were present, yet you are not. But Jesus Christ has shown you to me, and I know the things you do. I know you live pridefully. There are none, except for a few, who aren’t lifted up in pride to their very center, to the point of wearing very fine clothing, and to the point of envying and strife, malice, persecution, and all kinds of iniquity. Your congregations and churches — every single one of them — have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts. You love money and your material possessions and your fine clothing and decorating your houses of worship more than you love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted. You pollutions, hypocrites, and you teachers who sell yourselves for things that will corrode and decay, why have you polluted God’s holy congregation? Why are you ashamed to take upon yourselves the name of Christ? Why don’t you consider that the value of an endless happiness is greater than misery that never dies? Isn’t it because of the world’s praise? Why do you adorn yourselves with things that have no life, and yet allow the hungry, the needy, the naked, the sick, and the afflicted to pass you by and not notice them? Why do you build up your secret abominations for the purpose of getting rich and cause widows and orphans to mourn before the Lord, and make the blood of their fathers and husbands cry to the Lord from the ground for vengeance on your heads? The sword of vengeance hangs over you; and the time is soon coming when He’ll avenge the blood of the holy ones upon you, since He won’t endure their cries any longer” (CofC Mormon 4:5; emphasis added).)
[38] ” If the Gentiles then obey the Lamb of God, He’ll reveal Himself to them in word and power and in person, in order to remove barriers to their belief, and if they don’t harden their hearts against the Lamb of God, they’ll be included with your father’s descendants — indeed, they’ll be included as part of the house of Israel. And they’ll become a blessed family in the promised land forever. They won’t be enslaved anymore, and the house of Israel won’t be embarrassed anymore. And the great pit dug for them by that utterly wicked church, which the accuser and his followers founded so that he could take people’s souls down to hell — that great pit dug for people’s destruction will be filled with those who dug it, to their complete destruction, says the Lamb of God — not the destruction of the soul, but throwing it into that endless hell. This is according to the accuser’s imprisonment, and according to God’s justice as well, upon all those who insist on doing wicked and corrupt things in God’s sight” (RE 1 Nephi 3:25; emphasis added).
“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.” (Will Rogers).
[39] ” If a man gets a fullness of the priesthood of God he has to get it in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it, and that was by keeping all the commandments and obeying all the ordinances of the house of the Lord. Where there is no change of priesthood, there is no change of ordinances, says Paul. If God has not changed the ordinances and the priesthood, howl, ye sectarians! If he has, when and where has He revealed it? Have ye turned revelators? Then why deny revelation? Many men will say, "I will never forsake you, but will stand by you at all times." But the moment you teach them some of the mysteries of the kingdom of God that are retained in the heavens and are to be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared for them they will be the first to stone you and put you to death. It was this same principle that crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, and will cause the people to kill the prophets in this generation. Many things are insoluble to the children of men in the last days: for instance, that God should raise the dead, and forgetting that things have been hid from before the foundation of the world, which are to be revealed to babes in the last days.
There are a great many wise men and women too in our midst who are too wise to be taught; therefore they must die in their ignorance, and in the resurrection they will find their mistake. Many seal up the door of heaven by saying, So far God may reveal and I will believe. All men who become heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ will have to receive the fulness of the ordinances of his kingdom; and those who will not receive all the ordinances will come short of the fullness of that glory, if they do not lose the whole” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (pp. 352-353, emphasis added). (Function). Kindle Edition).
Scott Roderick
12/23/25
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