Having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the veil – Ether 3:20 – Come, Follow Me Ponderize Commentary
Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the veil; therefore he saw Jesus; and he did minister unto him.
The story of the brother of Jared is an all time favorite of mine. I always found it interesting that for such an amazing man, he was never specifically named, except simply as the brother of Jared. Well, in 1834, that changed when Joseph Smith revealed his real name, Mahonri Moriancumer. From the beginning, he had great power with God, for he was “highly favored of the Lord” (Ether1:34). He prayed and received an answer to his prayer, in which, God did not confound the language of his family, Jared’s family and their friends’ families at the tower of Babel. The Lord also promised to lead them to a land of promise, “which is choice above all the lands of the earth. And there will I bless thee and thy seed, and raise up unto me of thy seed, and of the seed of thy brother, and they who shall go with thee, a great nation. And there shall be none greater than the nation which I will raise up unto me of thy seed, upon all the face of the earth. And thus I will do unto thee because this long time ye have cried unto me” (Ether 1:42-43).
What a powerful blessing that the Lord gave to this great man! We also learn that he did this because, “this long time ye have cried unto me.” Mahonri had learned to spend time with the Lord on his knees. I bet he did not just quickly drop to his knees and then roll into bed, but rather he put in the time and effort of devotion and dedication to get to know the Lord. This great effort and faith is what prepared him to commune with the Lord and eventually brought him face to face with the Lord.
Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach him, and how to ask so as to receive an answer. When we understand the character of God, and how to come to him, he begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell us all about it. When we are ready to come to him, he is ready to come to us. Joseph Smith Jr.
Mahonri was ready and the Lord was ready.
Ether 3:17–20
17 And now, as I, Moroni, said I could not make a full account of these things which are written, therefore it sufficeth me to say that Jesus showed himself unto this man in the spirit, even after the manner and in the likeness of the same body even as he showed himself unto the Nephites.
18 And he ministered unto him even as he ministered unto the Nephites; and all this, that this man might know that he was God, because of the many great works which the Lord had showed unto him.
19 And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting.
20 Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the veil; therefore he saw Jesus; and he did minister unto him.
We must learn to be ready ourselves through our faith and great efforts of devotion and dedication. I want to close with a portion of a conference talk that Elder Bruce R. McConkie gave on October 1969, titled “The Rock of Salvation.” As you read this, I plead with you to have ears that hear and eyes that see.
Craig
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Author: Bruce R. McConkie
Revelation to prophets
Joseph Smith and the prophets had revelation. They saw God, viewed the visions of eternity, entertained angels, came upon Mount Zion, stood in heavenly places, and had communion with the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn.
Of these very experiences Joseph Smith said: “. . . God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them” ( Ibid. , p. 149).
Revelation for all men
Now let me read the words of a revelation, the words of the Lord God himself, the very words of Deity. These words, spoken to Joseph Smith, announce that revelation is for all men, that every faithful member of the Church can commune with his Maker, without limit and without restraint.
They are: “For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end.
“Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory.
“And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom.
“Yea, even the wonders of eternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many generations.
“And their wisdom shall be great, and their understanding reach to heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall come to naught.
“For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will—yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man” D&C 76:5-10
Thus we learn that any man who obeys the law entitling him to receive revelation shall see and hear and know for himself. Revelation for the Church comes through those who are prophets, seers, and revelators to the Church, but personal revelation, revelation for the guidance of the individual, revelation which says to a man and a woman, “Son, daughter, thou shalt be exalted; thou shalt have part and lot in my kingdom,” this revelation comes to them as individuals, alone and apart from all others.
Joseph Smith received this revelation: “Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am” D&C 93:1
The brother of Jared
Among those who complied with the law of righteousness here revealed was the brother of Jared, a prophet who lived some 2,000 years before our Lord’s birth into mortality. Of thee vision which he saw, Moroni says: “. . . because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw . . . the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting.
“Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the veil; therefore he saw Jesus; and he did minister unto him” Ether 3:19-20
Personal righteousness
From these revelations we learn that there are no limitations placed upon any of us. Revelations are not reserved for a limited few or for those called to positions of importance in the Church. It is not position in the Church that confers spiritual gifts. It is not being a bishop, a stake president, or an apostle that makes revelation and salvation available. These are high and holy callings which open the door to the privilege of great service among men. But it is not a call to a special office that opens the windows of revelation to a truth seeker. Rather it is personal righteousness; it is keeping the commandments; it is seeking the Lord while he may be found Isa. 55:6
God is no respecter of persons Acts 10:34 He will give revelation to me and to you on the same terms and conditions. I can see what Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon saw in the vision of the degrees of glory—and so can you. I can entertain angels and see God, I can receive an outpouring of the gifts of the Spirit—and so can you.
The course to glory
There are goals to gain, summits to climb, revelations to receive. In the eternal scope of things we have scarcely started out on the course to glory and exaltation. The Lord wants his saints to receive line upon line, precept upon precept, truth upon truth, revelation upon revelation, until we know all things and have become like him.
Let us press forward in making our callings and elections sure 2 Pet. 1:10 until, as Joseph Smith said, we shall have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend us, or to appear to us from time to time, and until even he will manifest the Father unto us (see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith , p. 151).
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