The everlasting covenant and gospel dispensations -- Part 5 (Moses)

The previous parts of this series are found here:

• Part 1: Introduction and Adam
• Part 2: Enoch
• Part 3: Noah
• Part 4: Abraham

I honestly thought that I would combine at least 2-3 dispensations in each post, but this turned out to be more elaborate and a longer series than anticipated. 

Moses

This post is about the gospel dispensation of Moses. Usually, there is a general apostasy between the dispensations. But this dispensation is a bit different in that regard. We know that there was a righteous priesthood line from Abraham: Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. They lived in Egypt and prospered before they were enslaved. The text does not really say anything about the people of Israel falling into apostasy and it does not really seem to be the case. The midwives described in Exodus 1 feared God and in Exodus 2, the people cried to him in their agony.

Yet, this is counted as one of the seven gospel dispensations, perhaps because there is a re-establishment of the everlasting covenant, which underscores my point of this series. 

And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. (Exodus 2:24)

This is the backdrop of the Exodus. God remembers the covenant with Abraham and therefore he liberates the people of Israel and establishes a covenant with them, basically giving them the terms by which they can obtain the blessings promised to Abraham's seed. So this is another example of a connection between the dispensations with a new dispensation referring to other dispensations. When it comes to Moses and Abraham, this article discusses the many similarities between the Book of Moses and the Apocalypse of Abraham. 

There are also obvious similarities to Noah. The name, Moses, means "to pull/draw out" (implied: of water). This is what he is called because he is placed in an ark on the Nile and pulled out or rescued by Pharaoh's daughter. Lord Wilmore describes more about the similarities here. 

The similarities to Enoch are also interesting. Compare Moses 1 and Moses 7:

1 The words of God, which he spake unto Moses at a time when Moses was caught up into an exceedingly high mountain,

2 And he saw God face to face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses; therefore Moses could endure his presence.

3 And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years; and is not this endless?

4 And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease. (Moses 1)

This is Moses talking with God face to face on a mountain and being shown his works. Just like what Enoch experienced. 

3 And it came to pass that I turned and went up on the mount; and as I stood upon the mount, I beheld the heavens open, and I was clothed upon with glory;

4 And I saw the Lord; and he stood before my face, and he talked with me, even as a man talketh one with another, face to face; and he said unto me: Look, and I will show unto thee the world for the space of many generations. (Moses 7)

Enoch establishes Zion on the mountain and they are blessed there (see Moses 7:17-18). "In the process of time" they are taken up because of their righteousness. So Enoch was blessed on the mountain, talked with God face to face and saw his glory. But he also managed to gather a people and prepare them for that same experience. The same can be said about Moses on Mount Sinai, except he did not manage to give the people the same experience. The people of Israel were invited to prepare to be in God's presence too, but failed (see Exodus 20:18-19). D&C 84 explains this in more detail. 

19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.

20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.

21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;

22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.

23 Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;

24 But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.

25 Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also;

26 And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel

We learn from these verses that the priesthood is the key to seeing the face of God like Moses and Enoch did. Being ordained after his holy order is one of the characteristics of the gospel dispensations that we have discussed in this series. But since the Israelites were not ready, they got the lesser priesthood and wandered around in the wilderness without entering into his rest. The higher priesthood came back with Jesus Christ in the next dispensation. That is the topic for the next post.

But as always, there are references to the creation in conjunction with a gospel dispensation. Like Abraham, Moses is the source of one of our creation accounts. Also, just like Abraham 3 is the precursor of the creation account in Abraham 4 (as explained in the previous post of this series), Moses 1 is the precursor of the creation account in Moses 2. As explained in this article, Moses 1 (as well as the whole Book of Moses) is an example of ancient ascent literature, a temple text describing a journey that ultimately leads to God's presence. This represents the reversal of the creation and fall. (See figure 1 and figure 2 in the linked article). I consider individual covenants as steps on this way and the everlasting covenant as the sum total making up this journey that leads back to God's presence. Moses epitomized this journey, the way of life, but the children of Israel epitomized the other way, the way of death. This serves as a warning to the latter-day Israel in the final dispensation of the fullness of times.