Unraveling the Prophecy of Malachi and the Mystery of ElijahPreparation for Turning the Hearts of the Children to Their Patriarchal Fathers - Part 4
After witnessing the earthly ministry of the Savior, Enoch asked the Lord when the earth would rest and when He would return? In response to Enoch’s question the Lord said:
“. . . As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfill the oath which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah [post-flood]. And the day shall come that the earth shall rest. But before that day, the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth. And great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve. And righteousness will I send down out of Heaven.[1] Truth will I send forth out of the earth to bear testimony of my Only Begotten, his resurrection from the dead, yea, and also the resurrection of all men. And righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out my own elect from the four quarters of the earth unto a place which I shall prepare, a holy city, that my people may gird up their loins and be looking forth for the time of my coming. For there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem. And the Lord said unto Enoch, Then shall you and all your city meet them there, and we [the Lord and citizens of Zion] will receive them into our bosom. And they shall see us, and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other [because they know one another prior to this event]; and there shall be my abode.[2] And it shall be Zion which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made [suggesting our definition of Israel’s gathering may not be limited to this earth’s inhabitants but includes all who have “born fruit meet for the Father’s kingdom[3] and now inhabit Heaven],[4] and for the space of a thousand years shall the earth rest.
And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man in the last days to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand years. But before that day, he saw great tribulation among the wicked. And he also saw the sea, that it was troubled, and men’s hearts failing them, looking forth with fear for the judgments of the Almighty God which should come upon the wicked. And the Lord showed Enoch all things, even unto the end of the world. And he saw the day of the righteous, the hour of their redemption, and received a fullness of joy. . .” (RE Genesis 4:22-23; emphasis added).
Like a mother giving birth, righteousness in the last days is born out of wickedness and tribulation. Support for the last days vision of Enoch is given in Malachi’s prophecy as well.
“Your words have been arrogant against Me, says the Lord. But you ask: What have we said against You? You’ve said: It’s useless to serve God. What benefit have we gotten from keeping His ordinances and repenting before the Lord of Hosts? We can see the arrogant are blessed, cheaters get rich, evildoers aren’t punished, and those who dare God to punish them aren’t punished” (CofC 3 Nephi 11:3; emphasis added).
By outward appearances those striving to repent and participate faithfully in rote ordinances derive little visible benefit in relation to the prosperity of the wicked. Arrogance is rewarded, dishonesty prospers, and those engaged in evil defying God are unpunished. The wicked are rewarded until they are “ripe in iniquity.”[5]
Amid wicked conditions the righteous are mocked and scorned for their faith and obedience to God’s commands. In adverse conditions stand “holy ones” who are unwavering in their commitment to Christ and His “great and awe-inspiring” work.[6] In troubled times they turn to the Lord pleading for comfort and He hears them. Jesus continued quoting the prophecy of Malachi to the Nephites regarding this subject.
“Then those who respected the Lord prayed about it, and the Lord listened and was persuaded. An account was written up [by the Heavenly Council] and presented to Him on behalf of those who worshiped the Lord and respected His name. I’ll protect them in the day of judgment as My treasured fruit,[7] says the Lord of Hosts. And I’ll have compassion for them like a [Patriarchal] father has compassion for his own faithful son. Then you’ll see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked,[8] between one who serves God and one who does not. There’s a day coming that will burn like an oven, and all the proud, and all that are wicked, will burn like straw; entirely burned up, roots [ancestors], branches [posterity], and all” (CofC 3 Nephi 11:4; emphasis added).
What saves the righteous and their relations from burning is the Lord sending Elijah to open a permanent portal between Heaven and earth.[9] Without Elijah’s arrival the earth would be cursed at the Lord’s return.
“But for everyone who reveres My name, the Son of Righteousness [Jesus Christ] will rise with healing in His wings. And you’ll go out like calves leaping joyfully when let out of the stall; and you’ll trample over the wicked, as if they were ashes under the soles of your feet [because they will be] in the day I accomplish this, says the Lord of Hosts. Remember the Law of my servant Moses [Aaronic covenant, preparatory], the statutes and ordinances I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel to follow. Know this, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and he’ll [Elijah] turn the heart of the fathers [Patriarchal, divine covenants] to the children and the hearts of the children to their [Patriarchal] fathers, otherwise I will return and utterly curse the earth” (CofC 3 Nephi 11:5; emphasis added).
The only way earth escapes being wasted is for the Lord to send Elijah to permanently reconnect Heaven with earth. Before the connection can be re-established, John the Beloved directs the “Root of Jesse” in preparation for the “restoration of all things,”[10] including Heaven’s record. Included in the restoration of “all things”[11] is the establishment of a New Jerusalem and Zion, shown to Enoch.
“We can plant the doctrine, restore truth, and remember the Prophet Joseph Smith’s words, but if we are not nourished from it, we will not be grafted into the living roots. Our hearts will not turn to the fathers. His servants will dispense pruning, care, and ministration but fruit must grow in response. Without responding, the branches remain unproductive in a damaged vineyard, ultimately only suitable to be burned. “Grafting” [adoption] restores, reconnects, and returns, or in other words, plants in the hearts of the children the promises made [by God] to the fathers. “And the hearts of the children shall turn to the [Patriarchal] fathers.” Moroni said this must happen [to avoid earth’s burning]. Moroni reworked Malachi in JS-H 1:39: “He shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers. And the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.” The last days’ work is to make that happen” (Snuffer, Denver. Preserving the Restoration, pp.137-138; emphasis added (Function). Kindle Edition).
Preliminary work [Elias, Aaronic] must be completed before the Lord sends Elijah to re-open the portal between Heaven and earth. The work performed includes the “growing together” of the scriptures as foretold in the prophecy of Joseph of Egypt.
“Therefore your [Joseph of Egypt’s, Covenant of Christ] offspring will write, and Judah’s [Bible] offspring will write. The Lord says: The things your [Joseph of Egypt’s] offspring write, and the things Judah’s offspring write, will grow together in order to expose false doctrines, settle disputes, and establish peace among your offspring and bring them, in the last days, to understanding their ancestors [Patriarchal Fathers] and comprehending My covenants [God made with Patriarchal Fathers and by extension, the posterity of Patriarchal Fathers]. The Lord said: His [Joseph Smith’s] weakness will be made strong. My work will then begin among all My people. I’ll restore you, O house of Israel” (CofC 2 Nephi 2:4; emphasis added).
The records of Joseph of Egypt’s people [Covenant of Christ] and Judah [the Bible] grow together to “expose false doctrines” [because some doctrines taught are false], “settle disputes” [like when the “envy of Ephraim” is removed and “Judah shall not vex Ephraim” in RE Isaiah 5:5, a necessary step toward becoming of “one heart, and one mind” to establish Zion],[12] establish peace among your offspring and bring them, in the last days, to understanding their ancestors [Patriarchal Fathers] and comprehending My covenants” (promises)].
The union between Ephraim and Judah and resulting harmony is accomplished by the two records “growing together” as well as “other books” the Lord brings to light in the last days.
“Then I [Nephi] saw my brothers’ descendants and the book of the Lamb of God, which had come from the Jews, and that it came from the Gentiles to my brothers’ descendants. After it [Bible] had come to them, I saw other books [in addition to the record of Joseph] that came by the Lamb’s power from the Gentiles to them — these convinced the Gentiles and my brothers’ descendants, and also the Jews [Israel] who were scattered throughout the earth, that the records of the prophets and the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses are true. Then the Angel told me: The last records that you’ve seen among the Gentiles will confirm the truth of the first ones [Covenant of Christ and Bible]— which come from the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses — and will reveal the clear and valuable things which have been removed from them and reveal to all people of every tribe and language that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father and Savior of the world and that all people must come to Him or they cannot be saved. And according to the words of the Lamb they must come to Him. And the Lamb’s words will be revealed in the records of your descendants as well as in the records of the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses. So they’ll both be witnesses together, because there’s one God and one Shepherd over the whole earth. At a future time, He’ll reveal Himself to all nations, both to the Jews and to the Gentiles. And after He has revealed Himself to the Jews and to the Gentiles, He’ll then appear to the Gentiles and to the Jews. The last [Israel] will be first [Moses to John the Baptist][13] and the first will be last. If the Gentiles then obey the Lamb of God, He’ll reveal Himself to them in word [scripture, Elias, John the Beloved] and power [Elijah, Patriarchal Fathers] and in person [Messiah, Second Coming and the Millennial Era], in order to remove barriers to their belief, and if they [Gentiles] don’t harden their hearts against the Lamb of God, they’ll be included with your father’s descendants [Joseph]— indeed, they’ll be included as part of the house of Israel. . .” (CofC 1 Nephi 3:24-25; emphasis added).
As noted in Joseph of Egypt’s prophecy, the records of Judah and Joseph are joined together [“grow together”] by the Lord. The convincing of the Gentiles, descendants of Laman and Lemuel, and scattered tribes of Israel occurs when the “other books” are given to the Gentiles and carried to Lehi’s descendants. The “other books” are compelling, collectively convincing the three groups the records of Joseph and Judah are true. They testify that Jesus is the Christ and God over the earth.
Accordingly, the Gentiles, Lehi’s descendants, and scattered Israel gain understanding of two things mentioned by Joseph of Egypt’s prophecy. They understand their ancestors or how Patriarchal Fathers turned to the Lord and the effect of the Lord’s covenants upon Patriarchal Father’s and their posterity.
How sons of God Become Sons of God
Prior to Adam’s fall, he lived in the garden Temple of Eden. He and Eve were a son and daughter of God.[14] They lived in God’s presence interacting with Him in a familial relationship [Israel]. Prior to the fall, the couple lived in a state of innocence with no experience from which to judge good from evil.
“Now if Adam hadn’t transgressed, he wouldn’t have fallen, but he would have stayed in the Garden of Eden. And all things that were created must have remained in exactly the same state as when first created. They would have continued forever and had no end, and they wouldn’t have had children. Therefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy [without knowledge or children], because they knew no misery, doing no good, because they weren’t exposed to sin. But all things have been done in the wisdom [Heavenly Mother] of Him who knows all things [Heavenly Father].[15] Adam fell for people [children] to exist, and we exist to experience joy [through service and sacrifice to others]. And the Messiah comes at the appointed time to rescue mankind from the Fall [a life with purpose and progression]. Then because they’re rescued from the Fall [Atonement of Christ saves through repentance], they’re free to act [make and learn from mistakes while progressing], knowing good from evil [through knowledge and experience], to act for themselves and not to be acted on [by compulsory means]. However, mankind will be punished based on the law on the great and last day,[16] according to the commandments [voluntarily choosing to subordinate our will to God’s will for us, leading to joy] God has given. So people act freely in this life [free to choose their course including accepting responsibility and consequences for those choices], and this creation lets people choose freely. They’re free to choose liberty [by obedience to God’s commandments] and eternal life by obeying mankind’s Mediator,[17] or instead choose captivity and death by letting the accuser lead them. The accuser wants all mankind to become miserable like he is” (CofC 2 Nephi 1:10; emphasis added).
This verse has much to unpack and understand. The saying “ignorance is bliss” is a cliché having some overlap with “innocence” but not an exact synonym. From this passage from the Covenant of Christ it is evident man’s purpose in life is to have joy and having joy in mortality has a connection to giving birth and rearing children.
Those experiencing childbirth and raising a family are familiar with sacrifice and challenges required. The sacrifice of time, emotion, and expense associated with supporting and raising a family can feel thankless at times. Personal accomplishment scarcely approaches gratification a parent feels when their children are successful in their endeavors. When they are taught light and truth as they mature, they are less likely to depart from it.[18] The most powerful lessons for children are embodied in the example of their parents. Children growing up in less-than-optimal circumstances are more likely to perpetuate false traditions of physical and substance abuse, promiscuity and other adverse behaviors with generational consequences.[19]
It appears mortality brings greater joy to parents raising families when a rising tide of righteousness lifts all boats. The Savior’s sacrifice of all for the sins of the world is a testament to this.
The definition of God’s work and glory explains why mankind’s joy in mortality is inseparably connected to the birth of children.
“And it came to pass that Moses spoke unto the Lord, saying, Be merciful unto your servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens; and then your servant will be content. And the Lord God spoke unto Moses of the heavens, saying, These are many and they cannot be numbered unto man, but they are numbered unto me for they are mine. And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof, even so shall another come. And there is no end to my works, neither my words. For behold, this is my work and my glory: to bring to pass the immortality and the eternal life of man. And now Moses, my son, I will speak unto you concerning this earth upon which you stand, and you shall write the things which I shall speak. And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take many of them from the book which you shall write, behold, I will raise up another like unto you, and they shall be had again among the children of men, among even as many as shall believe. These words were spoken unto Moses in the mount, the name of which shall not be known among the children of men” (RE Genesis 1:7; emphasis added).
Time is only measured unto [mortal] man.[20] Since God is not constrained by limitations of time, it should be noted His efforts in eternity are solely devoted to “bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Based on His omniscience, the work God engages in has the same objective He desires for mankind. That they might “have joy” in mortality and immortality. God sharing this objective for mankind is another example of how the mortal world is created after the image of Heaven.
Another counter-affirmation childbearing is the greatest means for experiencing joy in mortal life is the mortality rate of the most vulnerable among us. Sixty-five million abortions mark the greatest genocide in the history of this world. God desires we find joy through childbearing and the Accuser desires “all men to be miserable like himself.” If joy is found in childbearing, misery is found in terminating life.
Wisdom in Contrast to Knowledge (see footnote 15)
The following reference is in 2 Nephi 1:10:
“But all things have been done in the wisdom [Heavenly Mother] of Him who knows all things [Heavenly Father].”
Footnote 15 shows how the divine feminine is often distinguished from divine masculine in scripture. The true nature of God is the union of wisdom (the feminine) and knowledge (masculine). This is more than wordplay. It manifests the Eternal attributes of women and men. Women dispense wisdom throughout God’s creation.
Wisdom is essential in timely and wisely distributing knowledge to their children. Like mortal mothers, Heavenly Mother has born and nurtured their children in pre-mortality. She is connected to us as we are emotionally and spiritually connected to our birth mothers in mortality.
There is a palpable difference between how men and women react to similar experiences. Mortality is structured after Heaven, man (male and female) collectively forms the true image of God. Together they are “one” God. Their differences exist in eternity and mortality relying on one another to maintain stability in our lives.
The difference is evident in how two genders react when the Spirit of God, or “mind of the Father”[21] is given them. The nature of response between genders is on display between the feminine and masculine reaction to revelation:
“After this endowment of power from heaven [reception of the Holy Ghost or “mind of the Father], Adam and Eve used the power to prophesy and expound: “And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled [with the Holy Ghost], and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.” [Eve heard Adam’s prophecy and expounded wisdom:] “And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.” The effect of this endowment of power upon Adam was “knowledge” given through prophecy. The effect upon Eve was “wisdom.” The role of the man is knowledge, and the role of the woman is wisdom. This is on display in these two verses. It was [in pre-mortality] and is [in mortality] the role of the woman to have the understanding of the prophecy and to say what it means. This is the eternal gift and role of the woman. This is why there is both a male and female. The poetry continues: “And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God.” [They did that by ritual offering sacrifice. They acted as they had been commanded, and did so together] “And they,” [both of them] “they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters.” [Not Adam preaching alone, nor Eve alone, but together, yoked equally.] (Snuffer, Denver. Preserving the Restoration, pp.395-396 (Function). Kindle Edition).
“. . . I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. . .”[22]
The blessings described previously are reserved for the obedient who keep God’s commandments. Modern Christianity generally perpetuates the view that all God requires of us is a casual profession of belief. The grace of Christ covering our deficiencies in exchange for an occasional acknowledgement of our belief in Him. Discipleship encourages sacrifice and strict obedience to God’s commandments.
The above quotation of the Savior saying He is “the Way,” “the Truth,” and “the Life” emphasizes the singularity of “the way” of returning to the Father’s presence. The “Way” exemplified by Jesus is voluntarily surrendering our agency to the Father’s will.[23]
“Truly I say unto you, it is not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, that shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. . .” (RE Matthew 3:47; emphasis added).
The Savior’s example was complete submission to His Father’s will. What may not be fully appreciated is how His example serves as a literal pattern for us.
A recent talk given to a men’s retreat addressed more fully what God requires of us:
“. . . There's a lecture on faith saying that we read, pass over, and I want to look at it a little more carefully. This is from lecture on faith number six, it's paragraphs five and six. “For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ requires more than mere belief or supposition that he's doing the will of God, but actual knowledge, realizing that when these sufferings are ended, he will enter into eternal rest and be a partaker of the glory of God. For unless a person does know that he's walking according to the will of God, it would be offering an insult to the dignity of the Creator were he to say that he would be a partaker of his glory when he should be done with all things of this life. But when he has this knowledge and most assuredly knows that he's doing the will of God, his confidence can be equally strong that he will be a partaker of the glory of God.” See, I think there is this enormous desire to suppose that we're doing something and what we're doing is good and what we're doing is justified in God's eyes and that He's going to at the end dispense for us some grandiose and wholly disproportionate reward for the trivialities that we have accomplished or done or said while we were here. But the solemnity of the last talk you just heard and the literal meaning of the words I just read from lectures on faith do not brook permissive, sloppy, casual, following of the Almighty. It's imposing upon us something that is beyond supposition and beyond hope. It's knowledge. So how do you obtain the ability to know, to actually know that God is giving to you a message or giving to you an assignment or requesting some action be taken by you, not based upon your vague impression, not based upon your hope, not because you think it might be a good thing if you were to do this, but knowledge” (Men’s Retreat Talk, Denver Snuffer Jr., pg.1, taken from an unedited transcript believed to be accurate).
The veracity of the statement that “He’s going to at the end dispense for us some grandiose and wholly disproportionate reward for the trivialities that we have accomplished or done or said while we were here” should fly in the face of reason for those believing God is just. How can that be just when many gave all for their faith in Christ. Common sense suggests there must be a reason some willingly endure greater adversity rather than settle on a casual relationship with God.[24]
The reason for great resolve in pursuit of God is obtaining divine knowledge and where that knowledge leads. Joseph Smith said:
“Joseph the Seer arose in the power of God; reproved and rebuked wickedness before the people, in the name of the Lord God. He wished to say a few words to suit the condition of the general mass, and then said: I shall speak with authority of the Priesthood in the name of the Lord God, which shall prove a savor of life unto life [eternal], or of death unto death. Notwithstanding this congregation profess to be Saints, yet I stand in the midst of all [kinds of] characters and classes of men. If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses, for if we are not drawing towards God in principle, we are going from Him and drawing towards the devil. Yes, I am standing in the midst of all kinds of people. Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and feel to repent of all my sins. . . We have thieves among us, adulterers [doesn’t sound pro-polygamy in April 1842 in Nauvoo], liars, hypocrites. If God should speak from heaven, he would command you not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to covet, nor deceive, but be faithful over a few things. As far as we degenerate from God, we descend to the devil and lose knowledge,[25] and without knowledge we cannot be saved,[26] and while our hearts are filled with evil, we are studying evil, there is no room in our hearts for good, or studying good. Is not God good? Then you be good; if He is faithful, then you be faithful. Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, and seek for every good thing.
The Church must be cleansed, and I proclaim against all iniquity. A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence it needs revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the things of God”[27] (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (p. 216-217; emphasis added).
Faith is the springboard to knowledge of God. “If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses. . .” Part 5 will complete the discussion about the importance of obtaining knowledge from God and seeking the Father’s will precisely to “go where God is.”
[1] “. . . And I saw the great mother of abominations assembled in large numbers all over the earth among all Gentile nations to fight against the Lamb of God. Then I saw the power of the Lamb of God descend upon the holy ones of the Lamb’s congregation and upon the Lord’s covenant people, who were scattered across the earth. They were armed with righteousness and God’s power in great glory.
And I saw that God’s wrath was poured out upon that wealthy and utterly wicked church, so that wars and reports of wars arose among the nations and tribes of the earth. As these wars and reports of wars arose among the nations that followed the mother of abominations, the Angel told me: God’s wrath is upon the mother of harlots. You’re a witness to all these things. When the time comes that God’s anger is poured out upon the mother of harlots — the wealthy and utterly wicked church of the whole earth, whose foundation is the accuser — then as that happens it will be part of the Father’s work to vindicate the covenants He has made with His people who belong to the house of Israel” (CofC 1 Nephi 3:28-29; emphasis added).
[2] “Yet a little while, and the world will no longer see me, but you will not lose sight of me because I give life, and you shall share in endless lives. You will know that I and the Father are one, and I am one with you, and you are one with me. He that treasures my teachings, and stands ready, watching for every communication I send him, is he who shows love for me. To those who show love for me, my Father will show love to them, and I love all those, and I will personally minister to them.
Judas (not Iscariot), asked, Lord, how is it you will manifest yourself to us, but not to the world? Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves me, he will stand ready, watching for every communication I will send to him; and my Father will also love him, and we will come visit him, and continually abide by his side [this is what it means to be taken into His bosom]” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 10:12-13; emphasis added).
[3] “And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received, which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation rests upon the children of Zion, even all, and they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon, and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say but to do according to that which I have written, that they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom. Otherwise, there remains a scourge and a judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion, for shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Truly, truly I say unto you, Nay” (RE T&C 82:20; emphasis added).
[4] “And it came to pass that Enoch looked upon the residue of the people and he wept. And he beheld, and lo, the Heavens wept also, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains. And Enoch said unto the Heavens, How is it that you can weep, seeing you are holy and from all eternity to all eternity? And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, and millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of your creations. And your curtains are stretched out still [God’s creation perpetually increase], and you are there and your presence is there. And also you are just, you are merciful and kind for ever. You have taken Zion to your own bosom [presence] from all your creations. From all eternity to all eternity, naught but peace, justice, and truth is the habitation of your throne, and mercy shall go before your face and have no end. How is it that you can weep?” (RE Genesis 4:16; emphasis added).
[5] “Do you think the prior inhabitants of the promised land who were driven out by our ancestors were righteous? No, they were not. Do you think that if those prior inhabitants had been righteous, our ancestors could have driven them out? No, our ancestors couldn’t have. The Lord values all mankind equally; however, those who are righteous are blessed by God. But that nation rejected all of God’s words; they were ripe in iniquity and God’s full wrath was imposed upon them. So the Lord cursed the land against them and blessed it for our ancestors. He cursed it, resulting in their destruction, and He blessed it for our ancestors, to give them possession of it” (CofC 1 Nephi 5:19; emphasis added).
[6] “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 [Gentiles]. 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 [Lehi’s descendants] 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 [Gentile] 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” (CofC 3 Nephi 9:12; emphasis added).
[7] “And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received, which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation rests upon the children of Zion, even all, and they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon, and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say but to do according to that which I have written, that they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom. Otherwise, there remains a scourge and a judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion, for shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Truly, truly I say unto you, Nay” (RE T&C 82:20; emphasis added).
[8] “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” (CofC 1 Nephi 3:26; emphasis added).
[9] “Here, then, we have finally arrived at Elijah‘s significance as the one who must first
return. He was not the last one living who held the sealing power, though he did in fact
possess it. Instead, he is vital as the last one to make the ascent from earth to heaven.
He rose up through the fiery corridor, and went to God‘s presence. He joined the ―fathers
in heaven‖ who are to return. He last opened the way by his physical ascent. He will be
the first to physically descend through the fiery corridor to return from heaven to dwell
again on earth. His return will not be made in a temporary opening. We‘ve had plenty of those. His return will open a permanent, fixed stairway between the ―fathers in heaven and those who are prepared for the return of Zion. Zion will be overshadowed by the Lord‘s glory. The fiery corridor, or pillar of fire, or ladder to heaven, or conduit into heaven, or chariot of fire, will be opened by Elijah‘s descent. It will
remain over Zion and will be visible there. It will not be temporary. It will be the place from which the first preparations for the Second Coming begin. At that location a small group will be prepared to endure this opening. They, and those called to join with them, will escape being ―utterly wasted‖ at the unveiling of our Lord in glory at His return. It is Elijah who will restore the hearts of the fathers to the children or, in other words, he will reestablish the lost corridor between heaven and earth that connects those in heaven with those on earth.
This fiery path needs to be opened beforehand. The path, once it opens, will allow men
on the earth to be prepared for the coming again of those who are Zion above. Well,
Elijah answers to this. . . “(The Mission of Elijah Reconsidered, Denver Snuffer Jr., pp.28-29; emphasis added).
[10] “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 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).
[11] “Now I don’t intend to distress people’s souls by describing such an awful scene of blood and carnage as I
witnessed. But I know these things must be made known. Everything hidden must be revealed on the housetops [complete transparency]. Information about these events must be given to the remnant of this people and to the Gentiles the Lord said would scatter this people like they were nothing. Therefore I write a short summary because I was commanded to do this, not daring to give a full account of the things I’ve seen because it would be too distressing to describe fully the wickedness of this people” (CofC Mormon 2:5; emphasis added).
[12] “And from that time forth there were wars and bloodsheds among them, but the Lord came and dwelled with his people and they dwelled in righteousness. The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord which was upon his people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains and upon the high places, and did flourish. And the Lord called his people Zion because they were of one heart, and of one mind, and dwelled in righteousness, and there was no poor among them. And Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days that he built a city that was called the city of holiness, even Zion” (RE Genesis 4:14; emphasis added).
[13] “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, 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 [the Baptist], 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).
[14] “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: that he lives. For we saw him, even on the right hand of God, and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father, that by him, and through him, and of him the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (RE T&C 69:5; emphasis added).
[15] “Our scriptures speak carefully about the existence and importance of a Heavenly
Mother: a Divine Female whose greatest attribute is to bestow wisdom upon the whole of
this creation. . . The Father and the Son are masculine and therefore personified by the word
“knowledge.” The Mother as well as the Son’s companion are feminine, and personified by
the word “wisdom.” These personifications reflect an eternal truth about these two parts of
the One True God.
Knowledge (masculine) initiates, Wisdom (feminine) receives, guides and tempers.
Knowledge can be dangerous unless it is informed by wisdom. Wisdom provides guidance
and counsel to channel what comes from knowledge. These are eternal attributes, part of
what it means to be a male or a female. Creation begins with the active initiative of
knowledge, but order and harmony for the creation requires wisdom. Balance between them
is required for an orderly creation to exist” (Our Divine Parents, Denver Snuffer Jr., pp.1&5; emphasis added).
[16] “And now Melchizedek was a priest of this Order, therefore he obtained peace in Salem and was called the Prince of Peace. And his people wrought righteousness, and obtained Heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world, and has said and sworn with an oath that the heavens and the earth should come together, and the sons of God should be tried so as by fire. And this Melchizedek, having thus established righteousness, was called the King of Heaven by his people — or in other words, the King of Peace” (RE Genesis 7:20; emphasis added).
“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow [“messenger of the Covenant”], says the Lord of Hosts. Smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn my hand upon the little ones. And it shall come to pass that in all the land, says the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die, but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them. I will say, It is my people — and they shall say, The Lord is my God” (RE Zechariah 1:37; emphasis added).
“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 [Elias] and He’ll prepare the way before Me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple, the messenger of the covenant whom you delight in, He will come, says the Lord of Hosts. But who can endure the day of His coming? [when the kingdoms of Heaven and Earth combine and the “sons of God are tried so as by fire”] And who will be able to stand when He appears? For He’s [the “messenger of the covenant”] like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. He’ll [“messenger of the covenant”] sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He’ll purify the sons of Levi and refine them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness” (CofC 3 Nephi 11:1; emphasis added).
[17] “Do not allow your heart to be troubled. You are devoted to God and are also devoted to me. In the journey through my Father’s realms are many stages with temporary abodes. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare an abode for your upward journey. And when I arise [Resurrection], I will prepare places for you, but I will be your companion again and visit each of you, so that where I travel, you may journey to also [“teach us to walk in His paths” RE Isaiah 1:5]. And the path I follow upward you know, and the way of ascent you also know. Thomas said to him, Lord, we don’t know where you are going; how can we know the way? You have not told us. Jesus said to him, I am the way, the record of the truth, and the means for Eternal lives, worlds without end: no man comes to the Throne of the Father without me. If you follow me, you will come to the Father’s Throne through me and will thereafter be like him forever” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 10:9; emphasis added).
[18] “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (RE Proverbs 2:364; emphasis added).
“. . . That which is of God is light, and he that receives light and continues in God receives more light, and that light grows brighter and brighter until the perfect day” (RE T&C 36:4; emphasis added).\
[19] “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. But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth” (RE T&C 93:11; emphasis added).
“Therefore, my sons, I want you to remember; I want you to listen to me carefully. I wish you would wake up, wake up from your deep sleep — the sleep of hell — and shake off the awful chains that restrain you, the spiritual chains that overtake people to enslave them, leading down to the endless abyss of misery and anguish. Wake up, get up from the dust, and hear a trembling parent’s words, whose body you’ll soon bury in the cold, silent grave, from where no traveler returns. A few days from now I will die, leaving my life here like everything does on this earth. But the Lord has redeemed my soul from hell. I’ve seen His glory, and I’m continually welcomed in the arms of His love. I want you to remember to keep the Lord’s statutes and judgments. This has been a deep concern of mine from the beginning. My heart has been weighed down with sorrow from time to time, as I’ve been afraid that — because of the hardness of your hearts — the Lord who is God will have no choice but to punish you in His justified wrath, and cut you off and destroy you forever. Then a cursing would follow your descendants for many generations, killing them by sword and famines because of anger and hatred that enslaves through iniquity because they rebel against God and follow the accuser. My sons, may these things not come upon you! Instead, may you be a chosen and blessed people of the Lord” (CofC 2 Nephi 1:3; emphasis added).
[20] “Now there’s necessarily a period of time between the time of death and the time of the resurrection. Now I wanted to know about what becomes of the spirits of mankind from this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection. Now whether there’s more than one time appointed for people to rise, it doesn’t matter, because everyone doesn’t die at once, and that doesn’t matter. Everything is as one day with God, and time is only measured to mankind. Therefore there’s a time appointed to people when they will rise from the dead; and there’s a period of time between the time of death and the resurrection” (CofC Alma 19:5; emphasis added).
[21] “There are two personages who constitute the great matchless, governing, and supreme power over all
things — by whom all things were created and made, that are created and made, whether visible or invisible, whether in Heaven, on earth, or in the earth, under the earth, or throughout the immensity of space — they are the Father and the Son: the Father being a personage of spirit, glory, and power: possessing all perfection and fullness; the Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, a personage of tabernacle, made or fashioned like unto man, or being in the form and likeness of man, or rather, man was formed after his likeness and in his image — he is also the express image and likeness of the personage of the Father, possessing all the fullness of the Father, or the same fullness with the Father, being begotten of him, and was ordained from before the foundation of the world to be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should believe on his name, and is called the Son because of the flesh — and descended in suffering below that which man can suffer, or in other words, suffered greater sufferings and was exposed to more powerful contradictions than any man can be. But notwithstanding all this, he kept the law of God and remained without sin, showing thereby that it is in the power of man to keep the law and remain also without sin. And also, that by him a righteous judgment might come upon all flesh, and that all who walk not in the law of God may justly be condemned by the law and have no excuse for their sins. And he being the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, and having overcome, received a fullness of the glory of the Father — possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is the holy spirit that bears record of the Father and the Son, and these three are one, or in other words, these three constitute the great matchless, governing, and supreme power over all things, by whom all things were created and made that were created and made. And these three constitute the Godhead and are one: the Father and the Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power, and fullness, filling all in all — the Son being filled with the fullness of the mind, glory, and power, or in other words, the spirit, glory, and power of the Father — possessing all knowledge and glory, and the same kingdom: sitting at the right hand of power, in the express image and likeness of the Father — a mediator for man — being filled with the fullness of the mind of the Father, or in other words, the spirit of the Father, which spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his name and keep his commandments. And all those who keep his commandments shall grow up from grace to grace and become heirs of the Heavenly kingdom and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, possessing the same mind, being transformed into the same image or likeness, even the express image of him who fills all in all: being filled with the fullness of his glory, and become one in him, even as the Father, Son, and holy spirit are one.
From the foregoing account of the Godhead which is given in his revelations, the saints have a sure foundation laid for the exercise of faith unto life and salvation through the atonement and mediation of Jesus Christ, by whose blood they have a forgiveness of sins and also a sure reward laid up for them in Heaven, even that of partaking of the fullness of the Father and the Son through the spirit. As the Son partakes of the fullness of the Father through the spirit, so the saints are, by the same spirit, to be partakers of the same fullness, to enjoy the same glory, for as the Father and the Son are one, so in like manner the saints are to be one in them: through the love of the Father, the mediation of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the holy spirit they are to be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ” (RE T&C 110, Lectures on Faith 5:2-3; emphasis added).
[22] “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me” (KJV John 14:6; emphasis added).
[23] “After all this, and after performing many mighty miracles among mankind, He’ll be led, just as Isaiah said, as a ewe is silent while they shear her, so He endured without opening His mouth. Yes, He’ll be led, crucified, and killed, the mortal flesh fully surrendering to death, the Son’s will submitting entirely to the Father’s will. And so God breaks the chains of death, gaining victory over death, giving the Son power to make intercession for mankind, having ascended into heaven, showing tender mercy, being filled with compassion toward mankind, standing between them and justice, having conquered death, Himself assuming responsibility for their transgressions and iniquity, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice” (CofC Mosiah 8:7; emphasis added).
[24] “Further down in we have this question: “…where shall we find a saved being? For if we can find a saved being, we may ascertain without much difficulty what all others must be in order to be saved. We think that it will not be a matter of dispute, that two beings who are unlike each other cannot both be saved; for whatever constitutes the salvation of one will constitute the salvation of every creature which will be saved; and if we find one saved being in all existence, we may see what all others must be, or else not be saved. We ask, then, where is the prototype? Or, where is the saved being? We conclude, as to the answer of this question, there will be no dispute among those who believe the Bible, that it is Christ: all will agree in this, that he is the prototype or standard of salvation; or, in other words, that he is a saved being.” [Skipping down a couple of lines:] “…if he were anything different from what he is, he would not be saved; for his salvation depends on his being precisely what he is and nothing else…” According to Lectures on Faith, to be saved requires us to be exactly, precisely what Christ is, and nothing else. You have been told all your life that is impossible. Well, even if impossible at present, it is a mandatory. It is impossible because we all err. But that is what the atonement is for. Christ picks up that burden and carries it for us. We must keep His commandments that we may always have His Spirit to be with us. You can be Christ-like. You can administer relief to those around you. You can, as He said, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and visit those who are in prison” (Snuffer, Denver. Preserving the Restoration, pp.80-81; emphasis added, (Function).
[25] “. . . 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).
“Alma began to elaborate, saying: Many people are given knowledge of God’s mysteries; however, they’re placed under a strict command to only discuss that part of His word He allows to be given to mankind, corresponding to their obedience and diligence given to Him. Those who harden their hearts receive less of His word. Those who don’t harden their hearts are given a greater part of His word, until they understand God’s mysteries. They can be given God’s mysteries until everything is fully known. However those who harden their hearts are given less of His word, until they know nothing about His mysteries. Then the accuser captures them and leads them by his will down to destruction. This is what the chains of hell mean” (CofC Alma 9:3; emphasis added).
[26] “To have been visited by the Lord. Faith was always intended to grow into knowledge. Knowledge comes from contact with Jesus Christ (see Ether 1:14). This is the knowledge that saves and nothing else (see John 9:19). The idea that knowledge of Christ — through His personal appearance to each person — is now unavailable is an old sectarian notion and is false (see John 9:8).3 “Knowing God is Christ’s definition of eternal life and salvation. Joseph Smith clarified this does not mean to learn something about Him. Rather, it is to meet Him. It is to have Him minister to you, face to face, as one man speaks to another.” Since this is life Eternal, to know Him, would it be a simple and plain, but most precious teaching to urge people to part the veil of unbelief and behold their Lord? (see John 9:19).5 God has foreknowledge and, throughout history, has revealed things to us before they occur. God is the God of truth. He has all knowledge. The definition of truth is given in T&C 93:8: And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come. God lives in a state in which all truth is before Him continually. The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth; But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord. The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim (D&C 130:6–8).6 God possesses perfect foreknowledge, and since mankind does not, they see the gap between Him and themselves. Foreknowledge is chief among the things which distinguish man’s limited understanding from God’s perfect understanding” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, Know/ledge, pp.185-186; emphasis added).
[27] “The glory of God is intelligence, or in other words, light and truth (T&C 93:11), and is obtained by obedience to law. The word glory refers to intelligence — or knowledge and understanding. “God says this is His work and [His] glory: to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Genesis 1:7) — that mankind returns to His presence and with Him partakes of eternal life and exaltation. Since His glory is intelligence, He shares it with us. Glory is shared intelligence” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, Glory, p.129; emphasis added).
Scott Roderick
9/18/2026
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