Elias and The Gospel of Abraham

Joseph Smith described the third vision that he and Oliver Cowdery witnessed in the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836 in a more cryptic manner. It simply states:

Doctrine and Covenants 110:12 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.

Many people get side tracked at this point with who Elias is, the opinions on this are varied and diverse, but I feel it is more important to talk about what Elias did. It is interesting to me that there is no mention of “keys” in this portion of the vision, the word “dispensation” is used to describe the interaction that took place. A definition of dispensation is “a general state or ordering of things; specifically: a system of revealed commands and promises regulating human affairs.” I love this definition because when I hear the word order, I automatically think of ordinance.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie explains how the gospel is dispensed:

“Whenever the Lord reveals the plan of salvation anew so that men do not have to rely solely upon prior dispensings from heaven of the same glories and wonders, it is called a dispensation of the gospel. This may or may not involve a restoration of keys and powers and priesthoods. It did when Jesus came to replace the Mosaic dispensation, for instance, but not when the dispensations of Enoch and Noah were ushered in.

We do not know how many dispensations there have been, probably dozens or scores; nor can we be certain how long each lasted, or how one dispensation blended into another. For the present we know only that a gracious God has made his saving truths available at those times and under those circumstances, when men were prepared to receive them.”

I believe that Elias came to reveal, or show, the order of Abraham, or more fully instruct them on the Abrahamic Covenant, here referred to as the gospel of Abraham.

Perhaps at this point it might be interesting to note some historical events that took place immediately preceding the visit of Elias. Just prior to the completion and dedication of the Kirtland Temple, an unusual experience happened in the community where the Saints lived. A man by the name of Michael H. Chandler arrived at the home of Joseph Smith with three papyrus scrolls, which he found in the caskets of four mummies he had acquired from a distant relative. Again, rather than discuss the details and validity regarding Chandler and his possession of these mummies, I would like to focus on the timing and the content of what these scrolls contained.

The scrolls were purchased and Oliver Cowdery and W. W. Phelps, acting as scribes, went to work with Joseph Smith to translate them. Joseph Smith commented, “And much to our joy we found that one of the rolls contained the writings of Abraham, another the writings of Joseph of Egypt.” Oliver Cowdery, in a written letter to a friend stated that the language of the ancient record was very comprehensive and the hieroglyphics exceedingly striking. He noticed that the writers of the scrolls were acquainted with the creation, the fall of man, and their creator. He wrote, “The representation of the Godhead, three, yet in one, is curiously drawn to give simply, though impressively, the writer’s views of the exalted personage.” He went on to describe this information as “an inestimable acquisition to our present scriptures, fulfilling in a small degree the word of the Prophet: ‘for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.’” Today we have some of this work recorded in The Pearl of Great Price, known as The Book of Abraham.

Isn’t it interesting that as the saints were busy working on completing the temple, the Prophet was busy learning about the Gospel of Abraham as recorded by Abraham himself?

In the words of Abraham:

Abraham 1:2 And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers.

3 It was conferred upon me from the fathers; it came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning, or before the foundation of the earth, down to the present time, even the right of the firstborn, or the first man, who is Adam, or first father, through the fathers unto me.

4 I sought for mine appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto the fathers concerning the seed.

This must have sounded hauntingly familiar to Joseph Smith because this was about the same process that happened to him.

What comes next is priceless:

Abraham 1: 18 Behold, I will lead thee by my hand, and I will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the Priesthood of thy father, and my power shall be over thee.

19 As it was with Noah so shall it be with thee; but through thy ministry my name shall be known in the earth forever, for I am thy God.

If that isn't filled with Temple symbolism, I don't know what is!

Elder Bruce R. McConkie described the gospel of Abraham as:

The authorization to use the priesthood to perfect eternal family units, even as this commission and covenant was had by Abraham and those who followed him (Millennial Messiah, 119).

Obviously it was the commission, the mission, the endowment and power, the message of salvation, given to Abraham. Thus the gospel of Abraham was one of celestial marriage. And as a consequence, the righteous among all future generations were assured of the blessings of a continuation of the seeds forever, even as it was with Abraham of old (D&C 132.). (Mormon Doctrine, 219-20).

I think I like how Phillip Allred summed it up:

"In sum, the gospel of Abraham amounts to having access to the blessings of exaltation that he and his immediate posterity have already achieved (see D&C 132:29, 37). This gospel, interestingly named after this mortal model (see Abraham 1:18-19), has the power to perfect its adherents and exalt them. Much like the Melchizedek priesthood bears its name (D&C 107:2-4), this gospel of Abraham is none other than the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

The keys of the Melchizedek priesthood had already been restored by Peter, James, and John, which allowed access to the blessings of the Gospel of Abraham or the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe the return of Elias simply showed Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, and each one of us vicariously, where and how we fit into that Patriarchal lineage or plan of salvation.

With that in mind... perhaps Elias is really a title. Perhaps Joseph and Oliver were so cryptic about this “Elias” because it was a combination of individuals sent to reveal the order, or place that Joseph holds as a dispensation head. For me it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that this Elias restored the Patriarchal order or revealed our right to our “endowment” from the Fathers. This was the promise made to them and to us.

Sarah, A Woman of Sacrifice

We are reminded all the time of the sacrifice of Abraham and his willingness to be obedient to the Lord, but in remembering him we must remember his wife Sarah also. Sarah's life is one of sacrifice; it was filled with continual tests or trials, which as she proved faithful and obedient, resulted in blessings without number.

The first sacrifice Sarah faced required her to leave her home and family and “cleave” unto her husband, as they both left the familiar surroundings of Ur, to travel by faith to an unknown land. Arriving in the land of Canaan during a time of great famine, they were then required to journey onward still into Egypt for sustenance. Before they were to enter into the area of Egypt, Sarah was instructed that it would be safer for Abraham if she relinquished her title as wife, and become a sister to him to save him from death.

Sarah’s willingness to sacrifice even her precious virtue to Pharaoh if need be, so that Abraham could live, served as an example of consecration in marriage in the fullest sense. She was blessed for her obedience as she was allowed to leave Egypt with her husband with her virtue unscathed. In fact, she and Abraham left Egypt with far more substance than they had when they arrived; they received riches, through the Lord, in abundance from Pharaoh himself.

The Lord had covenanted with Abraham and promised him that through his lineage would continue a “royal priesthood”, and that his posterity would be “as numerous as the sands of the seashore.” Yet, after 24 years of marriage, Abraham still had no seed by Sarah. At the age of seventy-five, knowing that the years of her child bearing possibilities had passed, Sarah learned another great lesson of sacrifice. Putting her heart on the altar she submitted her will in offering her handmaid Hagar as another in her stead, to fulfill the promise of an heir to Abraham, made by the Lord. Because of her willingness to consecrate her all, this time to the Lord, she was blessed with the miracle birth of Isaac.

It is evident that Sarah became a great “mother of nations” as we come to know the character of Isaac himself, more fully through the experience he has with Abraham and his willingness to become the sacrifice to the Lord. Isaac’s unquestioning submission to the will of both his earthly father, and his Heavenly Father, confirms the fact that Sarah had taught him the ways of the Lord. He knew and understood the importance of the law of sacrifice, which Sarah had a firm testimony of herself. That testimony of sacrifice entitled her to the same blessings as Abraham in the eternities to come.

The fullness of glory is given to Sarah as Abraham becomes “a covering of the eyes” or a veil for her. This beautiful honor of a veiled faced showed that Sarah was given a place in the kingdom, not only of the earth but of heaven too. Abraham's blessing of priesthood, posterity, and a land inheritance was to be shared equally with this beautiful woman, Sarah.

Taking Upon Us The Name of God

As I was reading through some Blogs about LDS Women, I came across this Blog called LDS Women of God and was fascinated by a post on the Abrahamic Covenant called, Taking Upon Us the Name of God.

In the post it explained the meaning associated with the changing of the names of Abraham and Sarah, with the addition of the letter H.

The name change served as a reminder that they had entered into covenants and received further light and knowledge.

I loved the explanation in the Blog, go and check it out!