Moroni's authority in Ether 4-5

Something interesting I learned from a close reading of Ether 4-5. In Ether 4:6, Moroni writes:

For the Lord said unto me...

It seems that the rest of chapter 4 is Moroni quoting what the Lord told him. The chapter ends with

And behold it is I that hath spoken it. Amen.

Then chapter 5 begins with shifting back to Moroni speaking

And now I, Moroni, have written the words which were commanded me, according to my memory

Moroni then goes on to speak directly to Joseph Smith, which is interesting in and of itself. But I noticed the following verses

Ether 4:10

and if it so be that I do not speak, judge ye; for ye shall know that it is I that speaketh, at the last day.

and Ether 5:6

And now, if I have no authority for these things, judge ye; for ye shall know that I have authority when ye shall see me, and we shall stand before God at the last day.

In the first example, it is the Lord speaking. In the second example, it is Moroni speaking. Moroni makes a very similar statement to that of the Lord. Just as we will know for ourselves "at the last day" that it was the Lord speaking these words, so we will know for ourselves at the last day that Moroni had authority to convey those words to us. Moroni borrows language from the Lord to claim that authority. He says we will stand before God together with him on that day. In Moroni 10:27 he elaborates somewhat on this

for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?

So the Lord is declaring his words (compare with "it is I that speaketh" in Ether 4:10) and Moroni has received the authority to write them down. This is typical for the role of a prophet and fits nicely into the "Office of the Ministry of Angels" pattern that Lord Wilmore identified, even though Moroni is not receiving the words from an angel in this case but rather the Lord himself. To recap:

Angels are sent.

They call men to repentance.

They "fulfill" and "do the work of the covenants" of the Father.

• This is accomplished by declaring "the word of Christ" ...
• ...unto "chosen vessels of the Lord."

The chosen vessels bear testimony of Him.

By so doing, God "prepareth a way" for the residue of men to have faith in Christ...

...so that the power of the Holy Ghost can have place in their hearts.

Compare with Ether 4

10 And he that believeth not my words believeth not my disciples; and if it so be that I do not speak, judge ye; for ye shall know that it is I that speaketh, at the last day.

11 But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good.

12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.

13 Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief.

14 Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief.

15 Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel.

16 And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very deed.

17 Therefore, when ye shall receive this record ye may know that the work of the Father has commenced upon all the face of the land.

18 Therefore, repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and believe in my gospel, and be baptized in my name; for he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned; and signs shall follow them that believe in my name.

19 And blessed is he that is found faithful unto my name at the last day, for he shall be lifted up to dwell in the kingdom prepared for him from the foundation of the world. And behold it is I that hath spoken it. Amen.  

1 And now I, Moroni, have written the words which were commanded me

Another interesting aspect of this: Moroni makes his bold statement in Ether 5:6 right after he has addressed Joseph Smith directly in writing and told him about three witnesses. We know what happened about 1400 years later: Moroni appeared as an angel to Joseph Smith to show him where the plates were but he also appeared to the three witnesses. Claiming "authority for these things" may indicate that Moroni at this point in his life knew something about what was coming.

These two chapters also give a couple of interesting examples of internal consistency. I will save those for tomorrow's post.