What miracle could possibly be greater than raising a person from the dead? How about being raised from two deaths?
In a recent post, I started to form a new idea about the meaning of "signs" and their importance in our salvation. In this post I'll attempt to flesh out that idea and show how it might be a key to deepening our understanding of Mormon's majestic sermon found in Moroni 7, along with other scriptures.
The key premise is this:
The greatest miracle God offers man is to show us how to re-enter His presence.
What miracle could possibly be greater? Without the atonement, we face two deaths...the death of our physical body and the second death -- a permanent separation from God. Becoming aware that we have already been saved from physical death is a key part of the "good news," but not all. There's more good news! The ministering of angels offers us the greatest miracle of all -- learning how to re-enter God's presence and "dwell with [Him] in a state of never-ending happiness." (Mosiah 2:41)
Let's call that process "[doing] the work of the covenants of the Father" (see Moroni 7:31). I can't read those words without thinking of the temple.
A key to understanding: Miracles are intimately connected to "the work of the covenants of the Father"
I recommend that you read Moroni 7 and whenever you encounter the word "miracle" think about the temple ordinances. Below I'll outline a few examples where this key aids our understanding. Before that, recall Mormon's explanation of the office of the ministry of angels, highlighting key covenant-related phrases contained in this passage (because I can't help myself):
31 And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.
32 And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men.
33 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me. (Moroni 7)
The fundamental purpose of the work of angels, then, is to bring to pass "the covenants of the Father" by means of faith, repentance, and declaring the word of God through chosen vessel of the Lord, which bestows the "power" of God onto "the residue of men."
Is it reasonable to refer to this work as a "miracle"? Yes!!! What greater miracle could there be than to overcome two types of death?
(As an aside, this is a major theme of the Book of Mormon. The verses above outline a pattern found in several other parts of the Book of Mormon, particularly those parts which were authored by Mormon.)
Connections between "miracles" and the work of angels in Moroni 7
Notice how closely miracles connect with the ministry of angels in the following passage:
29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.
...
35 And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?
36 Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?
37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.
Miracles point our minds to Christ -- the author of the greatest miracle
None of this is intended to suggest that physical miracles were only symbolic. Miraculous works are of course real, but like many things in the scriptures also have a deeper underlying meaning. Ancient animal sacrifice was intended to point the mind to Christ's atoning sacrifice, as the angel taught Adam and Eve:
7 And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.
8 Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore. (Moses 7)
I believe miracles are intended to do the same. When we read of Christ's disciples raising someone from the dead, or healing the infirm, etc., each of those acts has a deeper symbolic meaning. Christ's atonement will allow us to be resurrected and be forgiven of our sins.
What would be the point of having our physical sight restored if we remained spiritually blind? What purpose would a miraculous release from bondage serve if we remained in spiritual captivity to Satan? Miracles are brought forth by faith, just as salvation is. Both require Christ's power to work. Mormon makes this same point:
38 For no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these things have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made.
A doctrine filled with beauty, hope, and power
When I ponder on these things, I am overwhelmed by the beauty of it all. The entire purpose of the creation is to allow Christ to perform the greatest miracle of all! It fills me with hope, which is a big part of the later section of Mormon's sermon. I'll cover between this doctrine and hope in a future post.
I'd like to end this post with the words of Moroni, who majestically describes our loving God and His divine work:
9 For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?
10 And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.
11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.
12 Behold, he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man. (Mormon 9)