Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Connection between "the Holy Order" and the first resurrection

My previous post made a connection between Enoch's visionary experience, during which he was clothed in glory by Michael at the throne of God, and Alma-2's talk of having been "born of God" and becoming "a new creature" after his miraculous experience with an angel.

It is not difficult to see the obvious symbolic connections between conversion and resurrection. There are many.

When Alma-1 teaches about baptism at the waters of Mormon, in a passage often quoted at baptismal services, he specifically lists a few blessings which come from taking upon ourselves the baptismal covenant:

8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? (Mosiah 18)
All three of these blessings are interconnected.

This mention of the first resurrection is something I have looked at before in this post.  Abinadi, Alma-1, and Alma-2 are the three Book of Mormon figures to use this term.

I've looked at other scriptures which talk about these things, and found a few interesting points:

I noticed a mention of the prophets and those who hearken to the prophets becoming the offspring of God.

Abinadi puts it this way:


10 And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?
11 Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.
12 For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?
13 Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you that they are his seed. (Mosiah 15)

This example is particularly interesting because the first few verses of chapter 15 talk about how Christ is both Father and Son.  This makes sense to me in context -- Christ becomes the father of our salvation when we become redeemed by Him through faith, repentance, and good works.

Alma-2 puts it this way:

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; (Mosiah 27)

In the vision of the kingdoms of glory, notice how the celestial heirs are described:

56 They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory;
57 And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son.
58 Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God ... (D&C 76)

Final example -- Enoch teaches about the baptism of Adam:

65 And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man.
66 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;
67 And thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity.
68 Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. (Moses 6)