The Book of Mormon makes little distinction between messengers and angels. This is fitting, since the Hebrew word can mean either.
מֲלְאָךְ "malak"
1 messenger,
- a. one sent with a message
- b. a prophet.
- c. priest.
- d. a messenger from God acting as an interpreter and declaring what is right.
2 angel, as messenger of God,
3 the theophanic angel
The Book of Mormon contains numerous examples of prophets playing the role of messenger, a tradition which fits in with the High Priestly tradition later suppressed in the Old Testament by the Deuteronomic tradition, which focused more on the law of Moses. (Interestingly, a similar theological struggle is happening today between those Christians who believe the word of God has already been given and no more is needed, and those who believe in modern revelation given to mankind through divinely called prophets.)
Take for example Alma-2, who experienced a visitation from an angel of God and spoke about it often throughout the rest of his life, using words like these:
7 But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent his angel to declare unto me that I must stop the work of destruction among his people; yea, and I have seen an angel face to face, and he spake with me, and his voice was as thunder, and it shook the whole earth. (Alma 38)
In her book Temple Theology, Margaret Barker points out a unique passage in 2 Enoch, where Enoch is brought to stand before God and given a divine commission:
2 Thus (in a moment of eternity) I saw the Lord's face, but the Lord’s face is ineffable, marvellous and very awful, and very, very terrible.
...
4 And I fell prone and bowed down to the Lord, and the Lord with his lips said to me:
5 Have courage, Enoch, do not fear, arise and stand before my face into eternity.
6 And the archistratege Michael lifted me up, and led me to before the Lord’s face.
7 And the Lord said to his servants tempting them: Let Enoch stand before my face into eternity, and the glorious ones bowed down to the Lord, and said: Let Enoch go according to Your word.
8 And the Lord said to Michael: Go and take Enoch from out (of) his earthly garments, and anoint him with my sweet ointment, and put him into the garments of My glory.
9 And Michael did thus, as the Lord told him. He anointed me, and dressed me, and the appearance of that ointment is more than the great light, and his ointment is like sweet dew, and its smell mild, shining like the sun’s ray, and I looked at myself, and (I) was like (transfigured) one of his glorious ones. (2 Enoch 22)
Barker points out the following about this passage:
The LORD summons Michael to remove Enoch's earthly clothing -- the symbol of his mortal body -- and to dress him in the garments of glory -- the symbol of the resurrection body. Enoch is then anointed with a fragrant myrrh oil and sees himself transformed into an angel. (Temple Theology, p. 57)
The connection to our modern temple worship is quite obvious, but something else caught my attention, too. I see a symbolic "rebirth" happening as Enoch is given a glorious garment to represent his glorious resurrection.
You can imagine that if a similar garment was worn by the Nephites and symbolized their devotion to the everlasting covenant, taking off the garment (becoming "naked") would have been a very big deal.
Also, the pattern established in this passage fits precisely with a pattern we see in the Book of Mormon, particularly in the case of Alma-2. There is a heavenly vision, a "falling down" in fear, a command to arise, and then a fearless proclaiming of the Gospel for the rest of his days.
Notice what Alma teaches immediately upon "arising" after a period of lifelessness, and notice that the fear he had prior to his collapse is completely gone. He speaks of a new birth:
23 And it came to pass after they had fasted and prayed for the space of two days and two nights, the limbs of Alma received their strength, and he stood up and began to speak unto them, bidding them to be of good comfort:
24 For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.
25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;
26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. (Mosiah 27)
In the Book of Moses we read Enoch's own words on the same topic (including a description of Adam's questions to God about the need for baptism and an account of Adam's baptism):
58 Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children, saying:
59 That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory; ...68 Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. (Moses 6)
It makes me wonder if Alma had the same experience Enoch had, or something very similar.
