1 Nephi 1: 7-8
"And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen. And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God."
Following what we believe to be an event where the Lord appeared to Lehi, Lehi was physically weak. He didn't just go home and go to bed. He cast himself upon his bed. This would appear like complete exhaustion.
Is this something that is to be expected?
Alma chapters 18 and 19 hold the account of Ammon teaching king Lamoni. In these two chapters Lamoni and his wife and Ammon and the servants of Lamoni all had their physical frames overcome by the power of the Spirit just as happened to Lehi.
Alma chapter 22 contains the account of Aaron, the brother of Ammon, teaching the father of king Lamoni. Here again we see also the father of Lamoni being overcome physically by the power of the Spirit.
Alma chapter 27: 16 - 18 describes another event where Ammon was overcome physically.
This is what Moses experienced after encountering God on the mount.
"And the presence of God withdrew from Moses, that his glory was not upon Moses; and Moses was left unto himself. And as he was left unto himself, he fell unto the earth. And it came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength like unto man;..." (Moses 1:9-10)
Joseph also experienced the same with the first vision.
"...When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering to some degree, I went home..." (Joseph Smith History verse 20)
Being in the Spirit, Lehi is shown the heavens opening and he ascends to the Throne of the Father where there are numberless concourses of angels singing and praising God.
Something we think ought to be seriously considered is that his experience is not the only recorded experience of a mortal ascending to the Throne of the Father or seeing the Father.
"...In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple." (2 Nephi 16: 1)
Alma the younger also saw the same sight.
"Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there." (Alma 36: 22)
This is what the prophet Joseph recorded in one of his accounts of his first vision.
"A pillar of fire appeared above my head. It presently rested down upon me and filled me with joy unspeakable. A personage appeared in the midst of this pillar of flame, which was spread all around and yet nothing consumed. Another personage soon appeared, like unto the first. He said unto me, "Thy sins are forgiven thee." He testified unto me that Jesus Christ is the son of God. And I saw many angels in this vision." (Joseph Smith Papers, Journal, 9-11 November 1835)
In these four events, just like Lehi's, there are "many", "numberless concourses", and a "train" of angels that "filled the temple" who are there with the Father.
It seems that Christ can and does appear to individuals; alone and hiding His glory as the scriptures demonstrate.
When we read of the Father appearing though, or of someone ascending to His Throne, there are always concourses of attending angels. A numberless train of associates so to speak.
Why would this be?
Why is it so important that the scriptures are so very clear to describe this?
During the Last Supper the Lord told those with Him something important.
"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:2 -3)
Was the Lord referring to a physical house with doors and windows?
Was He speaking metaphorically?
We believe He was speaking metaphorically.
The term "house" is used to describe a family, ie. "the House of Windsor".
We are invited to refer to God as our "Father" in heaven.
Of all the titles He could have us address Him with He chooses "Father."
He has a "house", "the House of God", His family. His family is His kingdom.
Joseph described the Family or Kingdom of God.
To understand this let's look at Adam and Eve.
"...And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever; And thou art after the order of him who is without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity. Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. Amen." (Moses 6:67 - 68)
A voice out of the heavens declared that Adam had become a son of God. Because Eve is also a part of this with Adam we consider that at this time she became a daughter of God.
Christ declared at this moment that Adam had become "one" with Him. Adam was now connected to Him.
Adam was the first man in this creation to come up to this order or connection with Christ. He became a Patriarch, a Father of Many Nations, a Preacher of Righteousness, a Father.
Since the scriptures state that Adam and Eve together made all things known unto their children we consider that Eve was included in this.
In fact we believe that because the scriptures state that they were to become one flesh or in other words to become one that the titles above necessarily included her as well.
All who were redeemed by Christ through the ministry of Adam and Eve became their children in the family of God.
Their children became connected to Christ through them. Their hearts were turned to their children, those who accepted the Gospel through their ministry.
The book of Moses sadly recounts that most did not desire this relationship.
We can understand this relationship from the account of Abraham who, along with Sarah, came up to this same order.
This is what the Lord declared to Abraham.
"My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations; And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted they seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father;" (Abraham 2:8-10)
Adam was the first Father; followed by Seth, etc. to Noah. Then the family descended from Noah to Shem or Melchizedek and then to Abraham.
All individuals who came up to "this Gospel", all who were and are redeemed through Christ because of their ministries, become connected to them who are connected to Christ who is connected to the Father; thus making up the "family", "kingdom", or "house" of God.
All who come to "this Gospel" become sons of God and joint heirs with Christ.
We submit that those numberless concourses of angels, the train of God filling the temple, are the family of God.
When someone is brought to the throne of God or into God's presence they are introduced to the "family" because they are becoming part of the family.
You can see from the diagram that there are many "mansions" or temporary dwelling places in the "house" or family of God as one continues to ascend eternally as part of God's family.
We believe that the many "mansions" refers to the many familial connections in the family of God and the ability through those connections to have "seed" through performing a ministry.
As an aside for this post, Joseph stated something critical concerning this family of God in section 128 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
"...for Malachi says, last chapter, verses 5th and 6th: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse....It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children upon some subject or other---and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect. Neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also;"
When Malachi talks of Elijah coming to turn the hearts of the "fathers" to the "children" and the "children" to their "fathers" could he be referring to what was declared to Abraham about all those who received "this Gospel" becoming his children or his seed?
Who is Joseph referring to as he states that there must be a welding link of some kind between the "fathers" and the "children"?
Who are the fathers?
Are they the ones who "died in the gospel"?
Remember the Lord declared to Abraham something concerning "this Gospel." Abraham was part of "this Gospel" and remained so until he died.
Are they the ones who like Abraham back through Adam rose up and became one with Christ, sons of God?
Why does Joseph so clearly distinguish between "we" the "dead" who we could be baptized for and "those who have died in the gospel"?
What does "this Gospel" mean?
What is it referring to?
When we read of what Adam and those other fathers through Abraham had to receive from heaven in order to enter into the family of God should we expect that we can be part of God's family by receiving anything less than they did?
Is what they received to be interpreted as the description of "this Gospel" that the Lord declared to Abraham?"
If we do not receive "this Gospel" will we be smitten when the Lord returns?
Is the Lord waiting for some group, no matter how small in number, to receive "this Gospel" and therefore have their hearts turned to the original "Fathers", becoming "children" of those "Fathers" before He returns so that the entirety of humanity is not destroyed or smitten at His coming?
Back to the post.
We believe that Lehi is following the pattern that all who would be one with Christ, who would become part of the family of God, must follow.
He has repented and exercised faith and worked good works until he becomes an individual who can see Christ as He is, because he has acquired the attributes of Christ. Christ then comes to him and prepares him to meet the Father (appearing in a pillar of fire dwelling on a rock).
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
Christ Himself declared that no man would come to the Father before He, Christ, prepared them.
Nephi declared,
"Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given util after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do." (2 Nephi 32: 6)
We believe that the reason Nephi declared this is that by experience Nephi knows that, just like his father Lehi, the Lord appears to any mortal ("in the flesh")who arrives at the same situation as Lehi in order to prepare them to be introduced to the Father.
Christ personally instructs and guides those who have become like Him in order to prepare them to enter the Father's presence.
Lehi is then introduced to the Father and the rest of the family of God, the numberless concourses of angels. He is made a son of God and a joint heir with Christ by the Father's own voice.
We believe that this event with Lehi is a description of "this Gospel."
Is it possible that this is the moment, for anyone who ascends to God, that they receive the testimony of Jesus; ie. Jesus bears testimony of them to the Father that they are redeemed and made holy through Him in order to be made a part of the family of God?
This is what D&C 76 says concerning those who enter into the celestial kingdom.
"They are they who received the testimony of Jesus...These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, (think numberless concourses of angels) " (D&C 76:51-67)
We believe this is what is occuring to Lehi at this moment.
Lots to think about.
"...And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever; And thou art after the order of him who is without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity. Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. Amen." (Moses 6:67 - 68)
A voice out of the heavens declared that Adam had become a son of God. Because Eve is also a part of this with Adam we consider that at this time she became a daughter of God.
Christ declared at this moment that Adam had become "one" with Him. Adam was now connected to Him.
Adam was the first man in this creation to come up to this order or connection with Christ. He became a Patriarch, a Father of Many Nations, a Preacher of Righteousness, a Father.
Since the scriptures state that Adam and Eve together made all things known unto their children we consider that Eve was included in this.
In fact we believe that because the scriptures state that they were to become one flesh or in other words to become one that the titles above necessarily included her as well.
All who were redeemed by Christ through the ministry of Adam and Eve became their children in the family of God.
Their children became connected to Christ through them. Their hearts were turned to their children, those who accepted the Gospel through their ministry.
The book of Moses sadly recounts that most did not desire this relationship.
We can understand this relationship from the account of Abraham who, along with Sarah, came up to this same order.
This is what the Lord declared to Abraham.
"My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations; And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted they seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father;" (Abraham 2:8-10)
Adam was the first Father; followed by Seth, etc. to Noah. Then the family descended from Noah to Shem or Melchizedek and then to Abraham.
All individuals who came up to "this Gospel", all who were and are redeemed through Christ because of their ministries, become connected to them who are connected to Christ who is connected to the Father; thus making up the "family", "kingdom", or "house" of God.
All who come to "this Gospel" become sons of God and joint heirs with Christ.
We submit that those numberless concourses of angels, the train of God filling the temple, are the family of God.
When someone is brought to the throne of God or into God's presence they are introduced to the "family" because they are becoming part of the family.
You can see from the diagram that there are many "mansions" or temporary dwelling places in the "house" or family of God as one continues to ascend eternally as part of God's family.
We believe that the many "mansions" refers to the many familial connections in the family of God and the ability through those connections to have "seed" through performing a ministry.
As an aside for this post, Joseph stated something critical concerning this family of God in section 128 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
"...for Malachi says, last chapter, verses 5th and 6th: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse....It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children upon some subject or other---and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect. Neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also;"
When Malachi talks of Elijah coming to turn the hearts of the "fathers" to the "children" and the "children" to their "fathers" could he be referring to what was declared to Abraham about all those who received "this Gospel" becoming his children or his seed?
Who is Joseph referring to as he states that there must be a welding link of some kind between the "fathers" and the "children"?
Who are the fathers?
Are they the ones who "died in the gospel"?
Remember the Lord declared to Abraham something concerning "this Gospel." Abraham was part of "this Gospel" and remained so until he died.
Are they the ones who like Abraham back through Adam rose up and became one with Christ, sons of God?
Why does Joseph so clearly distinguish between "we" the "dead" who we could be baptized for and "those who have died in the gospel"?
What does "this Gospel" mean?
What is it referring to?
When we read of what Adam and those other fathers through Abraham had to receive from heaven in order to enter into the family of God should we expect that we can be part of God's family by receiving anything less than they did?
Is what they received to be interpreted as the description of "this Gospel" that the Lord declared to Abraham?"
If we do not receive "this Gospel" will we be smitten when the Lord returns?
Is the Lord waiting for some group, no matter how small in number, to receive "this Gospel" and therefore have their hearts turned to the original "Fathers", becoming "children" of those "Fathers" before He returns so that the entirety of humanity is not destroyed or smitten at His coming?
Back to the post.
We believe that Lehi is following the pattern that all who would be one with Christ, who would become part of the family of God, must follow.
He has repented and exercised faith and worked good works until he becomes an individual who can see Christ as He is, because he has acquired the attributes of Christ. Christ then comes to him and prepares him to meet the Father (appearing in a pillar of fire dwelling on a rock).
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
Christ Himself declared that no man would come to the Father before He, Christ, prepared them.
Nephi declared,
"Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given util after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do." (2 Nephi 32: 6)
We believe that the reason Nephi declared this is that by experience Nephi knows that, just like his father Lehi, the Lord appears to any mortal ("in the flesh")who arrives at the same situation as Lehi in order to prepare them to be introduced to the Father.
Christ personally instructs and guides those who have become like Him in order to prepare them to enter the Father's presence.
Lehi is then introduced to the Father and the rest of the family of God, the numberless concourses of angels. He is made a son of God and a joint heir with Christ by the Father's own voice.
We believe that this event with Lehi is a description of "this Gospel."
Is it possible that this is the moment, for anyone who ascends to God, that they receive the testimony of Jesus; ie. Jesus bears testimony of them to the Father that they are redeemed and made holy through Him in order to be made a part of the family of God?
This is what D&C 76 says concerning those who enter into the celestial kingdom.
"They are they who received the testimony of Jesus...These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, (think numberless concourses of angels) " (D&C 76:51-67)
We believe this is what is occuring to Lehi at this moment.
Lots to think about.
Excellent Post -- Enlightening -- thanks for sharing
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