Abraham’s Desire
READ Abraham 1:2-5
What is Abraham’s greatest desire?
To receive that which the
“fathers” had.
To become a High Priest in the
Holy Order, like the fathers were.
To become a rightful heir
(legitimate, adopted); which implies that you one could possibility become an
illegitimate “heir” or beneficiary of priesthood (but not with God; this does
speak to the idea of eternal law and how both light and dark beings – and all
of the gradations in-between – can form associations with mortals through the
veil, giving them priesthood of one kind or another.
To possess greater knowledge
and be a greater follower of righteousness – he already possesses knowledge and
is a follower of righteousness but this Holy Order is “greater”.
To become the father of many
nations - a “prince of peace” like Enoch and Melchizedek - establish a Zion
where “all know God” (i.e. the God of Light).
What must Abraham do to find this happiness, peace and rest?
He must reject his own father’s
beliefs.
He must find the living God
and receive Priesthood (the Holy Order) from Him – the appointment unto the
priesthood according to the appointment of God.
Receiving Hope
In his ensuing trials, Jehovah visits Abraham twice and gives him a promise that he will receive the Priesthood he is seeking, sometime in the future - this is what is known as receiving a “hope” or promise from God.
READ Abraham 1:18-19 and Abraham 2:8-12
How many times does the Lord promise Abraham using the
words “will”, “shall” or “shalt”?
16 times in 6 verses.
What does this “hope” or promise do for Abraham’s
faith?
It gives him something
concrete to have faith in.
But it is still tough to
exercise faith in this hope or promise in the real world - Abraham laughed incredulously
when the Lord finally told him that aged Sarah was going to conceive their long
awaited child (see Genesis 17:17).
Abraham must find someone who can confer the Priesthood
upon him; who does he find that holds the Priesthood?
Abraham is ordained to the
priesthood by Melchizedek (D&C 84:14).
The
Holy Order
READ JST Genesis 14:25-36 and D&C 84:39-40
Although Melchizedek confers this Priesthood after the
Order of the Son of God upon Abraham, where does Abraham have to go to actually
receive this priesthood?
To God Himself (see TPJS
205:2).
An ordination from a man is
not enough to make this High Priesthood efficacious; God must give it or
authorize it personally.
So how does God deliver this priesthood to a person?
By the calling or actual
vocalization (as opposed to being in the mind – “calling” infers vibrating
soundwaves through the atmosphere) of God’s own voice, such that others could
hear it if they were nearby, although they might not recognize the words (see 3
Nephi 11:3-4), so that the angels and even earth itself is witness to what God
has decreed (see D&C 128:21; Helaman 10:3-11).
Via an oath and covenant from
Him to you (see D&C 84:33-48).
If this Priesthood only comes from God Himself, why
does Abraham need to find Melchizedek to ordain him?
Ordination is an authorized
invitation to live the terms of the covenant and receive the actual blessing -
which in this case is the Fullness of the Priesthood!
Even from the beginning
ordinance of baptism, we are commanded by God through ordinance of confirmation
to “receive the Holy Ghost” - all ordinances must be sealed by the Holy Spirit
of Promise to be efficacious, and that only happens after we have lived up to
the terms of the specific covenant.
It is interesting that the
conferring of the priesthood, at least in this case, has to come from a man and
not directly from God especially as the Holy Order cannot come from man; it
speaks to the need for an “unbroken chain” of mortals – in this case from
Melchizedek to Abraham – and the work that those mortals must engage in to
establish that link. For Jesus Christ
and Joseph Smith, there was no living mortal who held the Holy Order, so they
each had to go directly to God to receive it.
How did Melchizedek stop the mouths of lions and quench
the violence of fire as a child without priesthood?
Through his faith alone.
That’s what it means by the
phrase that he “wrought” (to form by work or labor; to perform) or produced
“righteousness”; he exercised his faith (as a principle of power, see LoF
1:13-17) to perform these miracles without any priesthood (or formal
association with angels or Gods).
It was through these acts of
faith that he become approved of God.
Working by faith without
priesthood means using one’s own energy or light (without the association with
others, on either side of the veil) to affect something in the spirit realm or
physical world via one’s intention and the focus of one’s energy/light upon a
desired outcome.
Faith in Christ requires
obtaining the will of the Lord to pursue a specific objective or desire, but
then turning one’s intention to manifesting God’s will in this mortal world
without help from the powers of heaven; implied is that one might exercise
faith without focusing that faith in Christ (but the wisdom in doing that is
questionable, at best).
What does it mean that the Holy Order comes “not by
man” neither by “father nor mother” neither by “beginning of days nor end of
years”?
This priesthood is from
eternity, not from mortality.
The Holy Order has not begun
on this earth – meaning is it not a product of this earth and can only be
brought to this earth to be given to one who has already received it in
eternity; it is an activation of an association that is already in place in
heaven, rather than a new state which has never been experienced before.
What power does the Holy Order have?
The Holy Order has power or
“dominion” over the elements of the earth – break mountains, cause earthquakes,
divide the seas, dry up or move rivers.
Has power or dominion over
mankind – to defy their armies and weapons and to be able to escape from them
(it does not have the power to control their minds or impact their agency –
only the affects of their agency in certain circumstances when it suites God’s
will).
Has power or dominion over the
powers and principalities of heaven (different levels of gods and angels –
light and dark).
Enables the holder to be able
to stand (not just exist) in the presence of God; to have a habitation with God
(see John 14:23).
Enables the holder to be
translated and taken up into heaven; perhaps (like Enoch, Melchizedek and
Elijah) to stay but at least to visit (like John, Paul and Abraham).
Enables the holder to obtain
and accomplish God’s will upon the earth; to reason together with Him and
occasionally to influence His decisions as a friend to and Son of God (see John
15:15; James 5:16; D&C 50:10-12).
Where does this power come from?
A direct association with God
the Father.
The Holy Order is the highest
degree of priesthood available to mankind; Joseph Smith identified three levels
of priesthood – the Aaronic holds the keys to the ministering of angels, so it
is an association with angels that gives the Aaronic priesthood its power; the
second degree is an association with Jesus Christ; the highest is an
association with God the Father.
Does this priesthood have the power to establish Zion?
To have this priesthood (to be
a part of this Holy Order) is to be a “Zion person” or the kind of person who
could live comfortably in Zion, where the Lord Himself dwells with His people.
This priesthood allows the
holder to ascend to heaven and receive the promise of one’s exaltation, as such
these people have obtained God’s word regarding how to make this journey and
have accomplished it successfully, so they are the only ones qualified to teach
others how to find and navigate the Way; to the degree that others open their
hearts to their words and follow them – finding the Lord themselves, Zion can
be established if these various individuals, couples and families gather
together to form a community.
However, this priesthood
cannot “establish” Zion if the word means anything but what I have just explained;
holders of this priesthood cannot force righteousness in any way, and they
cannot stand as a “mouth piece” or “strong man” between the people and the
Lord; in verse 33 it says “his people” did the work – they wrought
righteousness and obtained heaven for themselves – there is no magic that a
holder of the Holy Order can perform to create Zion against the will of other
participants.
Note: Melchizedek was called
the King of Heaven by his people because he served them so diligently (see John
13:4-17); and because he was of the Holy Order and held dominion over the earth
– and these two are intimately connected in a cause-and-effect relationship
(see D&C 121:34-46).
The Abrahamic Covenant
When Abraham is older and has overcome many trials, the realization of the covenant promises that were given to him years before finally comes to pass. The Holy Order was given to Abraham to help him overcome the trials but growing in his relationship or association with God (and trust in God, especially in the sacrifice of Isaac) was part of what had to be learned in the ensuing years.
READ Genesis 21:1-5 and Abraham 2:6, 8-11
What are the promises God made to Abraham in the
Abrahamic Covenant?
Land (Genesis 17:8).
Posterity (Genesis 17:4-6).
Priesthood (Abraham 2:11).
…All of which apply in this
life and in the eternities.
Who is the “literal” seed of Abraham that will bless
all of the families of the earth?
Jesus Christ (see Galatians
3:16, 20JST, 26-29).
Who will make Abraham a great nation?
Christ.
Abraham is told that he will be a blessing unto his
seed after him, who is “his seed”?
As many as receive the
(fullness of) gospel AND (fullness of) the priesthood (i.e. the Holy Order) shall
be accounted as his seed (Abraham 2:10) - they become his spiritual progeny
because they must reject the false teachings of their own fathers and seek
after the living god, as did Abraham.
It is not about the literal
offspring of Abraham but those who are “adopted” into his direct line, as he
was “adopted” as Melchizedek’s heir.
READ D&C 84:33-38
How do we become the “seed of Abraham” and inherit the
same blessings?
We must obtain the Fullness of
the Priesthood ourselves – we must obtain the covenant from God to us as
Abraham did.
Then we must “magnify the
calling” by overcoming all of the trials which will be put in front of us to
test us and our association with God.
What is the High Priesthood “calling” we must
magnify?
To be even as “I am” (3 Nephi
27:27) – we must follow Christ’s example in ministering, serving, loving,
blessing, and interceding on behalf of those who are suffering or who have done
us wrong (Alma 5:14 - have we received His image in our countenance).
To be a servant in supporting
God in His work and glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of
our brothers and sisters as a “savior on Mount Zion”.
READ D&C 132:4-6
What “land” does obtaining this Priesthood and
Abrahamic Covenant enable you to enter and have?
Enter into the glory of God
(while in the flesh).
Inherit the Celestial Kingdom
to go no more out.
But you must abide the Law of
that kingdom - “instituted for the fullness of God’s glory” means “in order to prepare mankind to withstand” the fullness
of God’s glory.
But if you do abide the law,
you will obtain an inheritance of land (i.e. have the right to live) in God’s
heavenly kingdom.
READ D&C 132:7
What happens if the family bonds and vows we make in
this life are not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise?
They are void in the world to
come.
Which results in not having
eternal posterity because we will be single in heaven.
Being “single” without “family
bonds” implies that we don’t have a family to belong to – i.e. we lack the
welding link to the family of God.
Melchizedek and his city were
translated to join Enoch, leaving Abraham as the new dispensation head. Abraham is the model or prototype for the
modern Saint: he is a convert whose immediate father was an idolater (as
opposed to Adam and his family of directly descended “patriarchs” or fathers); he
has to forsake his father’s beliefs and society’s culture, fight through religious
and familial persecution, and seek for and embrace the living god, like we must
do if we would rend the veil of unbelief and actually come unto Christ ourselves.
Is the Abrahamic Covenant unique to Abraham? Was he the first one to receive it?
No - it was first given to
Adam, and then extended to all the “fathers” or patriarchs who came unto Christ.
It is called the “Abrahamic
covenant” in the same way that the Holy Order is called the Melchizedek
Priesthood, in honor of one who held and embodied it; the Abrahamic Covenant is
called that today because we receive the covenant as “children of Abraham”.
Why is it called the “new and everlasting” covenant?
It is everlasting because it
was established before the foundation of the world.
It is new because it is
extended new to US, if we will do what is required to come unto Christ (and
then the Father) to receive it - we are not saved by covenants made to others.
(That’s why God is called the “God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob” not the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” - the same covenant was
extended individually to each).
Abraham not only held this
Priesthood but received the promise that all who received the Gospel after him
would become his descendants. From the time of Abraham to the present,
every saved soul has had their heart turned to him, become his son or daughter,
and received that same priesthood (see Abraham 2:10-11).
READ 3 Nephi 20:25-27
Who are the children of the prophets or the children of
Abraham?
Those that have accepted,
believed and followed the Lord’s true messengers back into His presence.
They have received the
priestly authority sealing them into the family of God, joining the “fathers”,
having their hearts turned to the fathers in heaven.
They are the fruit or result
of any successful restoration of the Gospel.
They are those that through
the word given to those who have gone before, have also obtain the same light
and truth; they received knowledge of the path that leads back to Christ in the
flesh and also, like their fathers before them, become people who know God and
are His friends and companions while living here in this fallen world; and when
you have a group who all know God individually, you have Zion.
What does “turning the hearts of the children to the
fathers” mean?
It speaks to the need we have
of becoming part of the House of God via a “welding link” or familial adoption
to those who have gone before (“fathers”); we must “turn our hearts” to the fathers
or in other words, we must understand the need we have to become part of the
family of God and become a “link” in the chain of those who have been saved
from Adam to the last saved mortal being – and then seek after the fathers as
Abraham did when he left the land of his nativity to find Melchizedek or as
Joseph Smith did by rending the veil and associating with angels and Gods and
receiving promises or “hope” of salvation, administered via covenant, to him.
It is a reference to the
restoration of sealing authority, allowing a connection between mankind living
on the earth and the fathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) in heaven. In this dispensation, that restoration
occurred when Joseph Smith was given the sealing authority and High Priesthood
or Holy Order, and having his calling and election made sure, whereby he could
ask and receive answers (see D&C 132:45-47, 49), sometime between 1929 and
1831.
Abraham received the Holy
Order which came down from the beginning but had been lost to his own fathers
(see Abraham 1:2-3) and received the promise that all who received the Gospel
after him would become his descendants; from the time of Abraham to the
present, every saved soul has had their heart turned to him, have become his
son or daughter, and received that same priesthood (see Abraham 2:10-11); when
Joseph Smith received this, he was not merely sealed up to eternal life, but he
became part of the family of Abraham – being grafted into the “family tree” or
House of God.
