One of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb

1 Nephi 14:18 - 30, NC 1 Nephi 3 pars. 30 - 31

 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying, Look. And I looked and beheld a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and the angel said unto me, Behold one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things, yea, and also many things which have been; and he shall also write concerning the end of the world. Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true; and behold, they are written in the book which thou beheld proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew. And at the time they proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or at the time the book proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were written were plain, and pure, and most precious, and easy to the understanding of all men. And behold, the things which this apostle of the Lamb shall write are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the remainder shalt thou see. But the things which thou shalt see hereafter thou shalt not write, for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of God that he should write them. And also others who have been, to them hath he shewn all things, and they have written them. And they are sealed up to come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of Israel.   And I, Nephi, heard and bear record that the name of the apostle of the Lamb was John, according to the word of the angel. And behold, I, Nephi, am forbidden that I should write the remainder of the things which I saw. Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, and I have not written but a small part of the things which I saw. And I bear record that I saw the things which my father saw, and the angel of the Lord did make them known unto me. And now I make an end of speaking concerning the things which I saw while I was carried away in the spirit; and if all the things which I saw are not written, the things which I have written are true. And thus it is. Amen.

The Stick of Joseph in the Hand of Ephraim, 1 Nefi 3 pars. 30 - 32

And it came to pass that the angel spoke unto me, saying, Look. And I looked and beheld a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and the angel said unto me, Behold one of the twelve emissaries of the Lamb. Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things, yes, and also many things which have been; and he shall also write concerning the end of the world. Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true; and behold, they are written in the book which you beheld proceeding out of the mouth of the Y’hudi. And at the time they proceeded out of the mouth of the Y’hudi, or at the time the book proceeded out of the mouth of the Y’hudi, the things which were written were plain, and pure, and most precious, and easy to the understanding of all men. And behold, the things which this emissary of the Lamb shall write are many things which you have seen; and behold, the remainder shall you see. But the things which you shall see hereafter you shall not write, for Adonai yhwh has ordained the emissary of the Lamb of Elohim that he should write them. And also others who have been, to them has he shown all things, and they have written them. And they are sealed up to come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in the Lamb, in the own due time of yhwh, unto the house of Isra’el.  And I, Nefi, heard and bear record that the name of the emissary of the Lamb was Yochanan, according to the word of the angel. And behold, I, Nefi, am forbidden that I should write the remainder of the things which I saw. Wherefore, the things which I have written suffice me, and I have not written but a small part of the things which I saw. And I bear record that I saw the things which my father saw, and the angel of yhwh did make them known unto me. And now I make an end of speaking concerning the things which I saw while I was carried away in the spirit; and if all the things which I saw are not written, the things which I have written are true. And thus it is. Amen. 

I have decided to consider the final two paragraphs found in 1 Nephi chapter 3 together.

I am sorry to be at the end of Nephi's vision.  Nephi has, by the constraint of the Spirit, shared things with us in this faithful recounting of his vision that inform us of the covenants of God from the very beginning of the world, or the human family, as God first extended promises to Adam and Eve concerning the entire human family.

Nephi's explanation of the condescension of God the Father, God the Mother, and God the Son, all together, I have not found the equal yet in any other scripture.

Everything that has been presented here by Nephi has been calculated to inform us and to persuade us, by of the power of the words used to communicate these things, to have faith in Jesus Christ, repent and come down into the waters of baptism and become as little children so that we may feast upon what the Lord is then able to share with us because the Father will have given us the Holy Ghost.

We are given knowledge to allow us to see where we fit in the Lord's work now so that we may orient ourselves and see that the Lord's promises to the original Fathers, starting with Adam, are driving His present work. He and the Father intend to vindicate all of their words.

Much of what Nephi shared is being played out right in front of us and I continue to be a living witness of the mercy and goodness of the Lord to work among the children of men right this very moment to save them as He goes about to vindicate His promises.

As I have said in earlier posts, I continue to invite all to look into the work the Lord is performing now that all might be saved.

There is so much contained in what Nephi communicates to us through his record of his vision that attempts made in this blog to address them are infinitely inadequate.

I do trust that the Holy Spirit, or mind of God, is able to bring us to a perfect understanding of what Nephi is sharing here.  I believe that that perfect understanding is given to all who will, with time and experience and deep and ponderous thoughts, consider Nephi's words and keep the commandments of God; following the same path Nephi followed to arrive at such a perfect understanding.

I invite all to follow that path.  I hope to remain on that path myself and arrive at precisely the location that Nephi arrived at when he received this vision.

The Book of Mormon as a whole is so great in its message but I must admit at this moment I feel a great affinity for what Nephi was constrained to share here. There is much more to find as we continue but I do feel that this is one of the high points, if I can put it that way, of the Book of Mormon.

Here at the last of the record of Nephi's vision Nephi sees a man dressed in a white robe.

Didn't Lehi also see a man dressed in a white robe?

Why does the Book of Mormon contain the description of wearing a white robe for both instances?

Isn't that a bit confusing given that the results of Lehi's encounter with a man dressed in a white robe is quite markedly different than the person Nephi is seeing who is also dressed in a white robe?

My present understanding of the man Lehi saw in a white robe was that he, the man in the white robe, symbolizes those who claim purity and testify of themselves and encourage people to follow them.  They are very masterful at counterfeiting real purity.  Those who claim purity, testify of themselves, and seek to have people follow them can only lead those who follow them into spiritually desolate wastes like unto where Lehi found himself before repenting and turning to God.

Nephi is seeing an actual person.  The angel testifies to Nephi that the man he is seeing is one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.  

We have already read much concerning these twelve apostles of the Lamb just to this third chapter in the Book of Mormon.

Lehi speaks concerning them and Nephi also.  

Who are they?

Who were they before this creation?

How come they are described by Lehi as coming down to this creation already possessing a glory above that of the stars?

We are in a Telestial world compared in glory in scripture to the glory of the stars in the firmament.

If, as Lehi declared, they came down possessing glory above that of the stars, did they also condescend to come down from a higher glory?

We know that the Son of God, our Lord, Jesus Christ came down from a throne above with a glory brighter than the sun.

Doesn't that mean that He condescended from a yet greater place than even His twelve apostles?

Is it possible that others who have ascended higher than us also condescend to come down to perform labors here that are calculated to bring people to Christ in order to save all who will come to Him?

Is being called one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb something different than holding an office in an organization or church?

Is being one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb related to what Alma taught the folks in Amonihah?

And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children. And I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained priests after his Holy Order, which was after the Order of his Son, to teach these things unto the people. And those priests were ordained after the Order of his Son in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption. And this is the manner after which they were ordained: being called and prepared from the foundation of the world, according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works in the first place, being left to choose good or evil; therefore they, having chosen good, and exercising exceeding great faith, are called with a holy calling — yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such. And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds (while, if it had not been for this, they might had as great privilege as their brethren — or in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing with their brethren — thus, this holy calling being prepared from the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son who was prepared), and thus, being called by this holy calling and ordained unto the High Priesthood of the Holy Order of God to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest — this High Priesthood being after the Order of his Son, which Order was from the foundation of the world, or in other words, being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared from eternity to all eternity according to his foreknowledge of all things. Now they were ordained after this manner, being called with a holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon them the High Priesthood of the Holy Order — which calling, and ordinance, and High Priesthood is without beginning or end; thus, they become high priests for ever after the Order of the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father who is without beginning of days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth. And thus it is. Amen. (Alma 13:1 - 9, NC Alma 9 par. 10)

If we use the correct definition of world to be the human family then these priests of the Holy Order were prepared from the foundation of the human family.

When was the foundation of the human family?

Was the foundation of the human family established before this earth was created?

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill and said, You men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious; for as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription: To the Unknown God. Whom therefore you ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God, who made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with men’s hands as though he needed anything, seeing he gives to all life, and breath, and all things; and has made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth; and has determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord if they are willing to find him. For he is not far from every one of us, for in him we live, and move, and have our being. As certain also of your own poets have said: For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone, engraved by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance, God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by him whom he has ordained; and he has given assurance of this unto all men, in that he has raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:22 - 31, NC Acts 10 par. 14)

Paul taught that the Lord of the heaven and earth, who created all things, determined beforehand the bounds and habitations of all nations in order that all nations might be able to seek the Lord if they were willing to find Him.

Is that the time when He proposed to those souls who were with Him who He saw were good that they should condescend to come down and be teachers (His rulers) in order to draw all men to Christ if they would come?

Isn't that what Abraham was shown by the Lord?

Alma declares that these priests of the Holy Order, who are ordained after the manner of the Son, were ordained at the time of the foundation of the human family here, or before the world was, to teach the commandments of God unto the children of men because they had at sometime before the foundation of the human family here been left to choose good or evil and they had already at some point before the foundation of the human family here exercised exceeding great faith and chosen good while others who were in the same probation with them, left to choose good or evil, hardened their hearts and so they were not ordained to the Holy Order.

Doesn't that mean that all of these who were ordained at the foundation of the human family had already proven themselves in a previous probation?

If that is what Alma is talking about then aren't all of those who were ordained to the Holy Order from the foundation of the world, or human family condescending to come to another probation on a saving mission?

Is this what is meant from the words spoken to Abraham by the Lord as Abraham was seeing what happened at the foundation of the human family?

And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him, We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell. And we will prove them herewith to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them. And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon, and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever. (Abraham 3:24 - 26, T&C 145, The Book of Abraham 6 par. 2)

The Lord declared to those who were souls who He would make His rulers (teachers) that this earth was created so that all who were not yet "souls who were good" could come and be proven herewith to see if we would do all things whatsoever the Lord our God shall command us.

What are we doing here in this creation?

Isn't this experience considered a probation?

Aren't we being proven herewith?

Are we left here to choose between good and evil and to either exercise exceeding great faith in Christ or to harden our hearts?

If we choose to exercise exceeding great faith in Christ and we prove ourselves behind this veil that we will do all things whatsoever our Lord God commands us then is it possible at some future point we might be ordained from the foundation of a future human family to this Holy Order in order to condescend to go down into an earth among said future human family to be teachers, having proven ourselves already in this previous estate or probation?  

If this man dressed in a white robe was ordained from the foundation of the world, or the human family, does he represent, as well as all others who are ordained to the Holy Order, what we must all do in order to progress to where Christ is?

Is it possible that Joseph was addressing this very thing when he declared the following?

Here, then, is eternal life—to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power. And I want you to know that God, in the last days, while certain individuals are proclaiming his name, is not trifling with you or me. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pgs. 346 - 347)

If we prove ourselves faithful here in this probation, being left to choose between good and evil, and then we are ordained after the Holy Order at the foundation of a future world, or human family, to condescend to go down and teach in order to draw all men to the Savior of a future world, then doesn't that follow the pattern Joseph described here of going from one small degree to another and from a small capacity to a great one?

Here Joseph speaks of our necessity in this ascent to attain to the resurrection of the dead.

In the Lectures on Faith Joseph taught the following concerning saved individuals.

...Where shall we find a prototype into whose likeness we may be assimilated, in order that we may be made partakers of life and salvation? Or in other words, 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 — they must be like that individual or they cannot 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. And if we should continue our interrogation, and ask how it is that he is saved, the answer would be, because he is a just and holy being. And 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. For if it were possible for him to change in the least degree, so sure he would fail of salvation and lose all his dominion, power, authority, and glory, which constitutes salvation. For salvation consists in the glory, authority, majesty, power, and dominion which Jehovah possesses, and in nothing else, and no being can possess it but himself or one like him. Thus says John in his first epistle, 3:2,3 [1 John 1:13]: Behold, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And any man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure. Why purify himself as he is pure? Because if they do not, they cannot be like him.(T&C 110, Lectures on Faith, Lecture Seventh par. 9)

To be a saved individual is to be exactly like Christ.

To what capacity must one move in order to be exactly like Christ?

Must one become a Savior of all they create, like Christ did, in order to attain to the resurrection of the dead, like the Prophet Joseph declared we must do, in order to become a saved individual?

When we are finally resurrected from death here aren't we resurrected through Christ's power?

To attain to the resurrection like Christ did do we not need to be able to rise again by our own power like Christ did?

Is this why the Lord declared the following while He was in mortality?

Truly, truly I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they who hear shall live. For, as the Father has life in himself, so has he given to the Son to have life in himself, and has given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in their graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth — they who have done good, in the resurrection of the just, and they who have done evil, in the resurrection of the unjust; and shall all be judged of the Son of Man. For as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just. For I can of my own self do nothing, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who has sent me. (John 5:25 - 30, NC John 5 par. 5)

The Prophet Joseph commented on the above as follows.

The Scriptures inform us that Jesus said, As the Father hath power in Himself, even so hath the Son power—to do what? Why, what the Father did. The answer is obvious—in a manner to lay down His body and take it up again. Jesus, what are you going to do? To lay down my life as my Father did, and take it up again. Do we believe it? If you do not believe it, you do not believe the Bible. The Scriptures say it, and I defy all the learning and wisdom and all the combined powers of earth and hell together to refute it. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 346)

According to the Prophet Joseph the Lord was treading in the same path or in other words going to a great capacity, that of descending below all things in order to save all things created by His hand, in order to lay down His body and take it up again (attaining to the resurrection) just as His Father had done in a previous creation.

If such is the path to become like Christ and then the Father, every time someone condescends to "go down", in order to save others are they sacrificing?

Are these priests of the Holy Order who condescend, willingly putting themselves in jeopardy by condescending to come down behind a veil to be teachers?

What did Paul declare concerning this time of mortality?

Else what shall they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead? And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? I protest unto you the resurrection of the dead, and this is my rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord daily, though I die. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what does it advantage me if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. Be not deceived. Evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness and sin not, for some have not the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.(1 Corinthians 15:29 - 34, NC 1 Corinthians 1 par. 64)

Paul, knowing that all would rise from the dead through the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ taught here that because of that rising after our deaths here, we stand in jeopardy every hour here in mortality because our works in this life will follow us when we rise.

As I presently understand this, even those who condescend to come down to teach, after already having proven themselves in a previous probation, are still in jeopardy every hour in this mortality because they risk losing everything they have merited before.

Is that not a sacrifice?

As one progresses to greater capacities to save others and greater glory following their completed saving missions, doesn't their continued condescension from ever increasing glory create greater and greater risks and greater and greater sacrifices they must offer?

The more glory an individual must lay aside in order to condescend, doesn't that increase their sacrifice and if triumphant in their mission increase their capacity to save others until they arrive at the point the Lord arrived to on the path where they must condescend to sacrifice infinitely (descend below all things) in order to save all that has been created by their hands?

Is this the path to the Father that one must tread through the eons of time?

Is this the plan of salvation?

Would such a plan of salvation preserve eternally everyone's right to choose (agency)?

Are those who are sent to teach sent to teach precisely because the Father, having seen their previous exceeding great faith, is able to trust them with such important tasks?

Does this constitute the perfect foreknowledge of God?

Remember that the Prophet Joseph declared that God is not trifling with the souls of men. God would never choose a copper tool to perform a labor that must be done with steel.

As I presently understand things, a mission to teach an authorized message from God is not only difficult because of the hard heartedness among the children of men it is also hard because it must be done with utmost exactness according to the commandments and will of God.

God does not and will not leave the workings necessary for the salvation of the human family to chance.  Those who have been ordained from the foundation of the world to condescend to perform a saving labor in this creation were not ordained willy nilly.

This man Nephi is seeing in vision, ordained from the foundation of the human family to be one of the Apostles of the Lamb (part of the Holy Order), who was ordained to write the remainder of the vision that Nephi will see but is commanded not to write it; when was this man ordained to write these things?

Was he ordained to write these things from the foundation of the human family?

If this man, who is one of the apostles of the Lamb, is dressed in a white robe that describes his real purity indeed through the blood of Christ, how would I be able to tell between him and someone else who appears to be dressed in a white robe as well but only has power to lead me to a spiritually desolate waste?

Would there be a difference in a message that God has ordained to be written or spoken from the foundation of the human family and a message from a person who is on their own errand to testify of themselves?

 Would it be very important to look at the message to see if it contains God's words or their words?

As we look at scripture, has there ever been a true ordained teacher from the foundation of the human family that came to be served or honored or to fare sumptuously?

The Lord said the following concerning Himself in His mortal ministry.

And when the ten heard this, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them and said, You know that the princes of the gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant, even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life, a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:24 - 28, NC Matthew 10 par. 3)

If, as Alma taught, these priests of the Holy Order, ordained from the foundation of the world, or the human family, are ordained in a manner that all may look to their ordinations and see Christ reflected there then where would we expect to find these priests of the Holy Order?  

Would priests of the Holy Order sit in the chief seats, and be in positions of power and dominion over others like the gentiles, and have access to lots of money, and wield political power, and fly first class, and stay in the best hotels, and have multiple vacation homes, and own hunting lodges, and have their children's college tuition paid for, and expect complete obedience from their adherents to their ever word, etc.?

Christ came to serve and so did all those who are after the Holy Order.  They did not come to have people serve them while they pontificated their own greatness and chosen status.

Christ declared that the only tools that one who really possesses priesthood or in other words a connection with heaven can use are persuasion, long suffering, gentleness, meekness, and love unfeigned. Those of the Holy Order do not compel using their supposed authority or office in an institution or organization.

The only authority manifest by one of the priests of the Holy Order is that the message they were ordained from the foundation of the human family to deliver contains power because it is authorized from God and it is delivered with exactness and meekness.

In my mind, the contrast between a priest of the Holy Order who Nephi saw here and one who is after the order of a priesthood like unto the man who approached Lehi in his dream is very clear.

I believe that it is very important that we be given the details of this individual Nephi sees here.

Even here close to the end, with Nephi's mention of a true apostle of the Lamb's real purity through Jesus Christ, manifested by him wearing a white robe, and his ordination to write the visions of God, Nephi is turning our minds to things of eternal importance.