Unraveling the Prophecy of Malachi and The Mystery of Elijah - Part 1
I try to research and write one paper a week. Some papers take more time, others take less. When a week begins, I rarely have a clear idea of what to research. Prayer and studying chapters in the Covenant of Christ usually bring out a subject of interest. When a paper is complete, I review the content and self-edit in the process. After multiple revisions my wife and I read and edit the paper one final time.
In the beginning of the first week I was reading different chapters in the Covenant of Christ. As I reviewed several chapters a few potential topics surfaced but never produced spiritual traction. After surveying the scriptural landscape my attention was drawn to the Savior’s ministry to Nephite survivors.
From prior studies there are many chapters in the Book of Mormon that stand out to me. The Covenant of Christ, the Book of Mormon in modern English provides an additional dimension to these studies because of language differences between the records.
The example to be addressed includes a New Testament reference to add to the mix. Each of the three accounts provide additional dimension to the same event in Jerusalem and Bountiful. The Covenant of Christ has a slightly different account in Bountiful.
Before beginning this topic it’s important to explain the content came to me in waves like a shotgun blast. Twenty-four pages of content were produced in the first week. I was excited to share the content with my wife because it illuminated my mind and gave understanding beyond everything I had studied on this subject.
Turned out my wife was less enthusiastic because it was written like the shotgun blast manner it was received. A second week has passed and twenty-two pages of content were added. The two weeks of writing and research has left me swimming in content and struggling how to organize and explain as clearly as it was explained to me.
My warning to those reading this paper is this may be a Frankenstein paper. I hope to organize it in a logical manner but there are no guarantees of success. With that warning in mind, I guess I’ll begin with how the subject was introduced to me.
The Savior Lays the Groundwork for Malachi’s Prophecy
Lehi’s descendants have omissions in their scriptures necessary to understanding the last days. In 3 Nephi Jesus requires them to add to their scriptures. He commands them to add the prophecy of Samuel the Lamanite before the Lord provides Malachi’s prophecy and explains it. The Lord is laying a foundation for understanding the prophecy of Malachi He is about to reveal with the prophecy of Samuel the Lamanite.
“After Jesus said this, He explained the scriptures to them and told them: There are other scriptures I want you to write that you don’t have. He asked Nephi: Bring out the records you’ve kept. Then Nephi brought out the records and put them in front of Him; He glanced at them and said: The truth is that I commanded My servant, Samuel the Lamanite, to tell this people that at the time the Father glorified His name in Me, there would be many holy ones who would rise from the dead and appear to many and minister to them. He asked them: Wasn’t this the case? His disciples answered: Yes, Lord, Samuel prophesied as You’ve said, and everything happened accordingly. Jesus asked them: Then why haven’t you written it down — that many holy ones rose from the dead and appeared to many and ministered to them? And Nephi remembered this wasn’t written down. And Jesus commanded it to be added and this was written as He commanded” (CofC 3 Nephi 10:5; emphasis added).
This passage in the Covenant of Christ differs from accounts in the Book of Mormon and the New Testament account in Matthew. The earlier records speak of the same event occurring in Jerusalem[1] and in the America’s.[2] When Jesus died on the cross both accounts speak of many “saints” coming from the grave and appearing to many. The Book of Mormon said many “saints” arose from their graves, showed themselves and then “ministered” to those who saw them. The Covenant of Christ account identifies who the “saints” were who appeared and “ministered to” righteous mortals. The distinction is critical to understanding what the Savior is about to explain to Nephite survivors when He introduces Malachi’s prophecy.
Jesus added Malachi’s prophecy to Nephi’s record and expounded the meaning to the survivors. Based upon the Savior’s explanations Lehi’s descendants would understand everything prophesied to the end of the world. The Father was not adding these passages for the benefit of Lehi’s descendants alone. They already knew this information. The added accounts were for the benefit of latter-day Gentiles and Lehi’s descendants receiving this record from the Gentiles in the last days.
“When Jesus had said this, He explained it to the crowd. He explained everything to them, both great and small. He said: These scriptures, which you didn’t have, the Father commanded Me to give to you. Because He wisely wants them to be given to future generations. Then He explained everything, from the very beginning until the time when He would return in His glory — indeed, everything that would happen on earth — until the elements are melted with intense heat, the earth is rolled together like a scroll, and the heavens and earth end, everything leading to the great and last day when all people of every nation, tribe, and language will stand in front of God to be judged for their works, whether they’re good or evil. If they’re good, to the resurrection of everlasting life; and if they’re evil, to the resurrection of damnation, balanced, the one on the one hand and the other on the other hand. This conforms to the mercy, justice, and holiness in Christ, who existed before the world began” (CofC 3 Nephi 11:6; emphasis added).
Why was it important for the Savior to command Nephi to add these accounts to his record? It was to benefit those who receive the record in the last days. Why was it important to future generations? Because the prophecies explain the role of the “holy ones” in establishing Israel in the last days.
Holy Ones Minister Again in the Last days
The term “holy ones” is not a reference to “saints” referred to in the New Testament account or Book of Mormon account. “Holy ones” are sanctified beings who are members of the Holy Order of the Priesthood. Many are translated beings who are spared the typical death so they may continue in their ministry to mortal men.
Their ministry is limited to sanctified beings in mortality who receive the words of eternal life in mortality and promised eternal life in the world to come. The righteous men who are mortal are referred to as “chosen vessels” and “heirs of salvation.”[3]
Moroni gave the following description of the “holy ones” acting as ministering angels to mortals mentioned previously.
“And because He’s done this, my dear people, have miracles stopped? I tell you: No. And neither have angels stopped ministering to mankind. They are obedient to Him, to minister according to His commands, revealing themselves to those of strong faith and of a firm mind in every form of godliness. The responsibility of their ministry is to call people to repentance, and to fulfill and do the work of the Father’s covenants that He’s made to mankind, to prepare the way among people by declaring Christ’s word to the Lord’s chosen vessels, so they can bear testimony of Him. And by doing this, the Lord God prepares the way for the remainder of mankind to have faith in Christ, so the Holy Ghost can have a place in their hearts according to the power of the Holy Ghost. This is how the Father vindicates the covenants He’s made to mankind. Christ has said: If you have faith in Me, you’ll have power to do whatever I consider needed and proper. And He’s said to everyone on earth: Repent and come to Me and be baptized in My name and have faith in Me, so you can be saved” (CofC Moroni 7:6; emphasis added).
The “holy ones” from Heaven returned from the dead and ministered to faithful saints in mortality. Giving them the designation of “holy ones” means they belong to the priesthood fellowship in the Holy Order after the Son of God. Their ministry is to carry out the “work of the Father’s covenants.” This is a work they have substantial interest in because they are the ones to whom God made covenants with. The faithful residing on earth are their posterity who inherit covenant blessings because of the righteousness of the “holy ones.”
The Lord said of John the Beloved that John would be a “flaming fire and ministering angel to those who are heirs of salvation.” The “flaming fire” portion implies a certain Heavenly standing on the other side of the veil reserved for those who are sanctified. They qualify as “Powers of Heaven” and participate in the Heavenly Councils beyond the veil. In their ministry to righteous men and women on earth they also play a role in preparing us to part the veil and converse with the Lord. Explanation of those roles come later in the paper.
To this point it is important to understand those who are sanctified and pass on remain engaged in the Lord’s work on both sides of the veil. In the Covenant of Christ when it states the “holy ones” appeared to many and “ministered to them,” their ministry opens us to receiving the Holy Ghost and obtaining the “record of Heaven” residing within us.
After Samuel’s record is joined to Nephi’s account, the Lord reveals prophecies of Malachi to the Nephite survivors and expounds on their meaning.
“After Jesus explained all the scriptures as one consistent whole to them, He commanded them to teach what He had explained to them. Then He required them to write down the prophecy Malachi received from the Father. After it was written, He explained what it meant. This is what the Father said to Malachi: I’ll send My messenger and He’ll prepare the way before Me [Aaronic, Spirit of Elias, angel, John the Beloved], and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple [to accept the temple as His, as in Kirtland, Ohio, after the messenger prepares the way], the messenger of the covenant [Spirit of Elijah, Patriarchal Fathers] whom you delight in, He will come, says the Lord of Hosts. But who can endure the day of His coming? And who will be able to stand when He appears? For He’s like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. He’ll sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He’ll purify the sons of Levi [Aaronic, temple workers] and refine them as gold [sanctified, Melchizedek] and silver [Aaronic, lesser degree of sanctification], that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then will the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be accepted by the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years. And I’ll conduct a trial in which I’ll testify against their false ministers, and against the adulterers, and against those who lie under oath, and against those that cheat the laborer by underpaying his wages, cheat widows, and orphans, and are cruel to foreigners, disobeying Me, says the Lord of Hosts. I the Lord, do not change; that’s why you children of Jacob aren’t already destroyed” (CofC 3 Nephi 11:1; emphasis added).
This prophecy uses scriptural language to express what happens in the last days preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. I have inserted words to help in the interpretation of the prophecy. For the purpose of clarity I offer the words of Denver Snuffer’s description of the same events in plain English:
“There is a one verse parable spoken by Christ. It is in response to the question: Tell us what the signs of your return is going to be. After He gave a list of signs, He spoke a little parable at the end. Because the translation makes it seem morbid I'm going to substitute "body" for "carcass.” The current King James Version of the parable is somewhat morbid. The word could have been translated to suggest a living body. I prefer that view. Christ said one of the signs of His return is: "Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered" (Luke 17:37.) The "body" is the New Jerusalem. The "eagles" are going to be angelic ministrants. There will be an opening of the pillar of heaven to prepare the way for the Lord’s return. The opening at this end is going to be handled by someone who has remained behind, ([John the Beloved, Elias] D&C 7:3) and the opening at the far end [Heaven] is going to be the one to whom the assignment was given to open the way for His return; Elijah, the one who was promised ([messenger of the covenant], Malachi 4:5-6). I want to be really clear. I don't expect either of those individuals to have any public ministry again. (D&C 7:6.) They will have a role in Zion, and those who dwell in Zion are going to have some contact with them. The three Nephites are a great example. They, like John, were given a similar ministry to remain around and administer until the end of the earth. And they did minister. Two of the people to whom they ministered were Mormon and Moroni. (Mormon 8:10-11.) They, like ministering angels (D&C 130:50), ministered to Mormon who in turn ministered to the public. They ministered to Moroni and kept his hope up in the waning days of that dispensation. But they did not minister publicly. John will have a role, but the work of Zion is the work of flesh and blood. Mortal men have to extend the invitation for God to return. It requires the Family of God to return, or the "natural fruit" to reappear. (Jacob 5:73.) This must happen because that invitation will be evidence the Lord can safely come without utterly destroying all who are upon the earth. (D&C 2:2-3.) Zion is required, among other reasons, in order for there to be a place and a people to whom the Lord can safely return without utterly destroying the earth. However small, however diminutive it may, be there needs to be a Zion that extends an authorized invitation for the Lord to return” (Zion Will Come, Denver Snuffer Jr., pp.15-16; emphasis added).
Denver uses the parable of the body where eagles gather to introduce the explanation of a portion of Malachi’s prophecy. The messenger the Lord sends to “prepare the way before me” is John the Beloved. We learn by revelation to Joseph Smith that John the Beloved is a latter-day Elias who prepares the way for the Lord’s coming in the manner of John the Baptist. The mission of John the Beloved in the last days has specific parameters explained in the revelation to Joseph Smith in two related verses:
“Question: What are we to understand by the angel ascending from the east, Revelation, 7th chapter and 2nd verse [Rev. 2:13]?
Answer: We are to understand that the angel ascended from the east is he to whom is given the seal of the living God over the twelve tribes of Israel. Wherefore, he cries unto the four angels having the everlasting gospel, saying: Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And if you will receive it, this is Elias, which was to come, to gather together the tribes of Israel and restore all things” (RE T&C 74:9; emphasis added).
The role of the latter-day Elias sent before the Lord is to “gather together the tribes of Israel and restore all things.” This verse reveals the role of Elias who prepares the way before the Lord but it does not identify the messenger who prepares the way before the Lord.
The identity of the messenger is disclosed in an answer to another question in the same section:
“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).
Before the Lord “suddenly comes to His Temple,” there must be a people who seek Him. Those who seek Him are the “servants of our God” who must be “sealed in their foreheads” before the four angels pour out the judgments of God upon the earth as they gather Israel. John the Beloved is the angel presiding over the earth while the other angels control the elements of fire, water, and air.
From among earth’s inhabitants there are those who genuinely seek the Lord’s face. Before the Lord “suddenly comes to His Temple,” there must be a people who prepare and build it. The Lord’s Temple is the location the Lord designates for a permanent portal or pillar to open between earth and Heaven. John the Beloved is sent by the Lord to minister to a mortal servant, a “chosen vessel” and an “heir of salvation” to whom knowledge is restored. The latter-day ministry John the Beloved will not be a public ministry, although some in Zion will know of his presence.
John the Beloved is a translated being and member of the “Holy Order.” He ministers to a servant of the Lord in the capacity of an angel doing the work of fulfilling the Father’s covenants. The role of John the Beloved who restores “all things” and “gathers Israel” overlaps the role of the “root of Jesse” of whom the Lord refers to in RE Isaiah 5:4 after He gives the Nephites Malachi’s prophecy.
The Lord said of the “root of Jesse”:
“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 in the last day” (RE T&C 129:3; emphasis added).
John the Beloved shares the mission of restoring knowledge of the Patriarchal Fathers in preparation for their descent down the pillar to the righteous on earth. John begins the process by assisting in the preparation of the “root of Jesse” in receiving his priesthood by right, establishing an “ensign” connecting a permanent portal whereby the kingdom of God on earth is connected to the kingdom of God in Heaven. To raise the “ensign” connecting these kingdoms requires the preparatory, angelic efforts of John the Beloved.
The “restoration of all things” includes a fullness of the Holy Order of the Priesthood, the sealing power of Elijah, and the ministry of the “holy ones” to righteous mortals ascending up Jacob’s ladder to find the Lord they seek. Before these blessings can be offered generally, it must be given to a few righteous individuals chosen by the Lord. Moses gave a description of qualified recipients of these blessings.
“. . .Therefore, I give unto you a commandment to teach these things freely unto your children, saying that by reason of transgression comes the Fall, which fall brings death. And inasmuch as you were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit whom I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so, you must be born again into the kingdom of Heaven of water, and of the spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of my Only Begotten, that you may be sanctified from all sin and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory. For by the water [baptism] you keep the commandment, by the spirit you are justified, and by the blood you are sanctified. Therefore, it is given to abide in you: the Record of Heaven, the Comforter [Holy Ghost], the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, the truth of all things, that which quickens all things — which makes alive all things, that which knows all things, and has all power according to Wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment [godliness]. And now behold, I say unto you, this is the plan of salvation unto all men through the blood of my Only Begotten who shall come in the meridian of time. And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me — both things which are temporal and things which are spiritual, things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth. Both above and beneath, all things bear record of me” (RE Genesis 4:9; emphasis added).
When John says to the other angels, “Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads,” he is referring to the induction of a few righteous mortals into the “Holy Order.” This Priesthood opens the “record of Heaven” to these men restoring their recollection of the past and future. They receive the “words of eternal life” in mortality and the promise of immortality in the world to come. For these individuals the sealing referred to by John is how he fulfills the commission to “restore all things.”
It begins with the “root of Jesse” and extends to a few righteous individuals directed by Heavenly beings from the other side of the veil.
“Then the lord of the vineyard sent his servant [root of Jesse], and the servant went and did as the lord had commanded him and brought a few other servants. And the lord of the vineyard told them: Get started and work hard in the vineyard. This is the last time I’ll tend my vineyard — the end is near and the harvest is coming quickly. If you work hard with me, you’ll have joy in the fruit that I’ll harvest for myself at the end of the growing season.
Then the servants went ahead and worked hard, and the lord of the vineyard also worked with them. And they obeyed the lord of the vineyard’s direction in all things. And original fruit again grew in the vineyard, and the original branches began to grow and produce abundantly, and the wild branches began to be cut off and thrown away. And they kept the root [general membership] and the top equal [limited leadership] based on their strength. This is how they worked with all diligence according to the lord of the vineyard’s commandments, until the bad had been thrown out of the vineyard and the lord had saved the good for himself, so the trees had again produced the original fruit. And they became like one body and the fruit was equally good; and the lord of the vineyard had saved the original fruit [those foreordained who condescended to assist Him] for himself, which was most valuable to him from the beginning [pre-mortality]” (CofC Jacob 3:26-27; emphasis added).
This explains how the Lord begins gathering Israel in the last days through a small number of mortals laboring with “holy ones” to separate the wheat from the tares. Righteous mortals are directed by angelic “holy ones.” Zion will be established by “flesh and blood,”[4] but the work of gathering Israel is done by the angels.
“Question: What are we to understand by the four angels spoken of by John, 7th chapter and 1st verse of Revelation [Rev. 2:13]?
Answer: We are to understand that they are four angels sent forth from God, to whom is given power over the four parts of the earth, to save life and to destroy. These are they who have the everlasting gospel to commit to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, having power to shut up the heavens, to seal up unto life, or to cast down to the regions of darkness” (RE T&C 74:8; emphasis added).
Three angels with John the Beloved separate the righteous from the wicked in the last days:
“. . . There is no reason to expect that you can take people and gather them and then try to produce Zion. It makes a whole lot more sense, as the scriptures seem to indicate, that first people are taught repentance and then some few repent then are gathered, one of city, two of a family. They are gathered by those angels to whom the keys are entrusted to do the gathering. Then you put them together” (Conference-Big Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake City, Q&A, 20 September 2015, Denver Snuffer Jr., p.12; emphasis added).
The four angels given power over the four parts of the earth do the gathering of the Lord’s family which is Israel in the last days. At first the work is done by “some few” coming together to buy land and build the New Jerusalem and then build a temple. When the Temple is completed and dedicated the Lord will “suddenly come to His Temple” and formally accept it as His residence. After the Lord withdraws the Patriarchal Father’s appear as in the pattern followed in Kirtland. The pattern has not been repeated at Nauvoo or any other temple dedication in modern times. The appearance of the “holy ones,” the Patriarchal Fathers, is the grand opening of the permanent portal connecting Heaven with earth. It officially marks the return of Elijah’s Spirit and power and the raising of the Lord’s ensign.
This concludes part 1 of this paper.
[1] “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice — saying, Father, it is finished; your will is done! — yielded up the ghost. And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. And the earth did quake, and the rocks rent. And the graves were opened, and the bodies of the saints which slept arose, who were many, and came out of the graves, and after his resurrection went into the holy city and appeared unto many” (RE Matthew 12:29-30; emphasis added).
[2] “And now it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words, he said unto them again, after he had expounded all the scriptures unto them which they had received, he said unto them, Behold, other scriptures I would that ye should write, that ye have not. And it came to pass that he said unto Nephi, Bring forth the record which ye have kept. And when Nephi had brought forth the records and laid them before him, and he cast his eyes upon them and said, Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me, that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them, Were it not so? And his disciples answered him and said, Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled. And Jesus said unto them, How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them? And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written. And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written, therefore it was written according as he commanded” (RE 3 Nephi 10:5; emphasis added).
[3] “And the Lord said unto me, John, my beloved, what do you desire? For if you shall ask what you will, it shall be granted unto you. And I said unto him, Lord, give unto me power over death, that I may live and bring souls unto you. And the Lord said unto me, Truly, truly I say unto you, because you desired this, you shall tarry until I come in my glory, and shall prophesy before nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.
And for this cause the Lord said unto Peter, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? For he desired of me that he might bring souls unto me, but you desired that you might speedily come unto me in my kingdom. I say unto you, Peter, this was a good desire, but my beloved has desired that he might do more, or a greater work yet among men, than what he has before done; yea, he has undertaken a greater work. Therefore, I will make him as flaming fire and a ministering angel. He shall minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation who dwell on the earth, and I will make you to minister for him and for your brother James. And unto you three I will give this power and the keys of this ministry until I come. Truly I say unto you, you shall both have according to your desires, for you both joy in that which you have desired” (RE T&C 1 Joseph Smith History 13:18-19; emphasis added).
[4] “We can see a new and different meaning in Christ’s Book of Mormon prophecy to the
Nephites. Before Christ’s words seemed to foretell that the lost and scattered remnants
would build the Lord’s House and the New Jerusalem, now it appears that there are covenant receiving gentiles who are included. Gentiles who repent and hearken to Christ’s
words, and do not harden their hearts will be brought into covenant as His people. Christ
mentions three distinct bodies. First, those who have accepted the covenant and are
numbered among the remnant of Jacob to whom Christ gave this land for their inheritance.
Second, the lost descendants of the remnant of Jacob on this land who will repent and
return. Third, as many from the House of Israel who will repent and return. These three
will build a city that shall be called the New Jerusalem. All three of those will come to know
God in gathering and laboring to build the New Jerusalem. Then they will go out to assist all
of God’s people in their lost and forgotten state to be awakened to the work of God, and
gathered as if one body of believers. Then all who have any of the blood of Abraham, who
are scattered upon all the face of the land, will come to be taught in the New Jerusalem.
There the Power of Heaven will come down to be among them, the angels and Enoch with
his ten thousands will come down, the Ancient of Days or Adam our first father, and Christ
also will be in the midst of His people” (Keep the Covenant: Do the Work, Denver Snuffer Jr., pp.12-13; emphasis added).
Scott Roderick
9/4/26
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