The Return of the King -- Part 4.2
- L Rshaw
- Apr 5, 2020
- 9 min read
Updated: Jun 23, 2022
The previous post shared some of Joseph Smith's own words from his first accounts with prayer and visits from heavenly messengers (See "The Return of the King --- Part 4.1"). This post will continue to talk about other sacred experiences he had with other angelic messengers as the Restoration of the gospel began to roll forth two centuries ago. The occasion in which both Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ visited Joseph Smith is known as "The First Vision" because there were many more visions that followed. We live in the last dispensation, in the days of the Restoration, that is to say, that it is an ongoing process but many things happened in those early days that established and set up other things to come.
**NOTE: If you wish to get in contact with missionaries of the Church to learn more, you can do so at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/requests/missionary-visit
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**This is a particularly important post because understanding that these angelic messengers, prophets of old, have literally come to earth to restore lost powers and doctrine is what differentiates the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints from any other religious organization. If these angels really came, and really did what the prophet Joseph Smith said they did, and physically laid their hands on his head, then this is the only church on the Earth that is governed by God himself!**
JOHN THE BAPTIST & THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD
As was said in the last post (See "The Return of the King --- Part 4.1", the translation of the ancient metallic plates that would come to be called, "The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ" commenced on April 7, 1829, and was completed in just under 3 months on June 30, 1829. The Book of Mormon record, as was revealed to him by the Angel Moroni, was translated by Joseph Smith by the gift and power of God, not by conventional means of translation. There were a few faithful individuals who served as scribes for the words that Joseph dictated as he translated. One of them was Oliver Cowdery.
While continuing the work of the translation on May 15, 1829, due to the subject of baptism recorded in the ancient text, Joseph and Oliver wanted to know more concerning baptism for the remission of sins (See "Baptism by Immersion" and JSH 1:68). In order to receive an answer to this matter, both Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery went into the tranquility of the nearby woods to pray.
What was revealed to them was that baptism required divine authority which could only be received by the laying on of hands by someone already holding that same authority. We know this authority to be called "The Priesthood". In the case of baptism, the necessary priesthood was more specifically the "Aaronic Priesthood" or "The Priesthood of Aaron".
While praying, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light and identified himself as John, the same that is called John the Baptist in the New Testament, and that he acted under the direction of Peter, James, and John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which Priesthood, he said, would in due time be conferred upon them. In the meantime, he laid his hands upon their heads and ordained them with the Aaronic Priesthood, saying:
"Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness." (D&C 13)
John the Baptist told them that this Aaronic Priesthood 'had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost' (See "Administering to the Sick and Afflicted" and "Confirmation"), but that this should be conferred on them thereafter. This explanation echoed the Baptist’s statement in the New Testament, that though he baptized his followers “with water unto repentance,” one “mightier than I” would “baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:7-8; Luke 3:16).
And thus was this authority --- the Aaronic Priesthood --- restored to the earth. After restoring the Aaronic Priesthood, John the Baptist commanded Joseph and Oliver to go and be baptized, directing them that Joseph should baptize Oliver Cowdery and that afterward, Oliver should baptize Joseph (JSH 1:70). And so they did.
PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN & THE MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD
Just as John the Baptist had instructed them, at a later time, the aforementioned three original Apostles of Jesus Christ --- Peter, James, and John the Beloved --- who received the priesthood from the Lord Jesus Christ nearly 1800 years earlier (Matt. 10:1; Matt. 17: 1-13), appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and ordained them to the Melchizedek Priesthood, sometimes referred to as "the High Priesthood", by the laying on of hands.
WITNESSES
For the majority of the time that Joseph Smith was in possession of the ancient Book of Mormon record, he was commanded by the Lord to show them to no one (D&C 5:3). But the day came, around the time the translation was completed in June of 1829, that the Lord called for additional witnesses to testify of the reality of the Book of Mormon plates of metal (D&C 17). Firstly, there was a group of three witnesses --- Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris --- who declared that an angel of God appeared to them and showed them the Book of Mormon plates and they heard the voice of the Lord pronounce that Joseph Smith’s translation had been accomplished “by the gift and power of God.” An additional eight witnesses: Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith Sr., Hyrum Smith, and Samuel H. Smith all declared that Joseph Smith showed them the plates and allowed each to hold or “heft” the ancient artifact and examine its engravings personally. There was no doubt that the record was legitimate and none of these 11 witnesses ever denied their testimony of that unique and intimate experience, even despite persecution unto death for some of them.
Despite later differences with Joseph Smith that led each of the Three Witnesses to part ways individually with the Church (Cowdery and Harris later returned), they continued to affirm their testimony as witnesses throughout their lives. Each of the Eight Witnesses likewise reaffirmed his testimony of examining the plates, though some eventually became estranged from the Church. The combined weight of their numerous statements, given over many years and despite their changing attitudes toward Joseph Smith and the Church, is a powerful witness of the reliability of the statements they published in the Book of Mormon.
You can learn more about these witnesses on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' official website here.
The Church was officially organized by commandment from the Lord on April 6, 1830. It should be worth noting that this only happened after the Book of Mormon had been translated and published, after the 11 witnesses to the reality of the plates could give their testimonies to the world, and after both the Aaronic Priesthood and Melchizedek Priesthood had been restored.
VISION OF THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM
In December 1832, Joseph Smith received a revelation to construct a temple to the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio where the members of the Church had been gathering (See "Temples --- Holy Houses of the Lord").
A few months before the building was dedicated, on January 21, 1836, Joseph Smith had a vision in the Kirtland temple where another great part of God's Plan of Happiness was revealed and he had a vision of the Celestial Kingdom. This vision is recorded in section 137 of the Doctrine and Covenants:
"The heavens were opened and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof...also the blazing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son... I saw Father Adam and Abraham; and my father and my mother; my brother Alvin, that has long since slept... Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it... shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God... And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven." (D&C 137)
On April 3,1836, a few days after the temple had been dedicated, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared in the Kirtland temple to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (See "Temple Dedication"):
"His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying: I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father... For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house..." (D&C 110)
MOSES, ELIAS, ELIJAH, & THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened; and Moses appeared and committed unto them the "Keys of Gathering of Israel" from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north (Missionary Work). After this, Elias appeared, and committed "The Dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham", saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed. And after this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon them; for Elijah the prophet (1 Kings 17), who was taken to heaven without tasting death (2 Kings 2:11), stood before them and said:
"Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi ---- testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come --- To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse --- Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed unto your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors" (D&C 110: 14-16)
In other words, this priesthood authority that was committed to the prophet is also referred to as "The Power of Elijah" or the "Sealing Power", which is essential in temple ordinances (D&C 138:46-48; see also "Redeeming the Dead") such as eternal marriages or redeeming the dead (family history work). Without these angelic visitations restoring priesthood authority, temples would just be buildings like any other. The restored priesthood makes the building different from any other place on earth and is what gives them purpose as a place for heaven and earth to come together.
OTHER PROPHETS OF OLD
There were many visitations from heavenly beings to earth and even more visions and revelations given through the prophets down to our present day. The prophet John Taylor taught that Joseph also received visitations from numerous Biblical figures, including Seth, Enoch, Isaac, and Jacob. In D&C 128, the angels Raphael and Gabriel appeared to instruct the prophet Joseph. Orson Pratt commented that Joseph often received visits from Nephi and Mormon, among other scriptural figures and angels, some of which are not specifically identified.
Angels speak today as they ever have throughout the history of mankind (See "Ministering of Angels"). The Book of Mormon is a particularly powerful example of angelic manifestations of which many are recorded and it asks us in our day:
"...Have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men. For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness. And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfill and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.
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." (Moroni 7:29-37)
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