The everlasting covenant and gospel dispensations -- Part 7 (Joseph Smith)

The previous parts of this series are found here:

• Part 1: Introduction and Adam
• Part 2: Enoch
• Part 3: Noah
• Part 4: Abraham
• Part 5: Moses
• Part 6: Jesus Christ

Joseph Smith

We have finally come to the last part of this series to discuss the last gospel dispensation. I am doing this specifically to see how the everlasting covenant, or at least part of it, is restored at each dispensation. This is also usually linked to the creation. Paul talks about this final gospel dispensation

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10)

Gathering into one encompasses a lot of things: Priesthood keys, the gathering of Israel, doctrine, etc. But the everlasting covenant is a key component. As mentioned in the first part of this series, it is defined as follows:

This covenant, often referred to by the Lord as the “new and everlasting covenant,” encompasses the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, including all ordinances and covenants necessary for the salvation of mankind.

In previous dispensations we have seen different covenants, sometimes quite specific for the time and place in which they were given. Now we have a fullness, everything we need for our salvation. In stark contrast to the earliest dispensations, we have an abundance of information about this one. A whole book of scripture with revelations primarily to Joseph Smith plus much that has been recorded about his life, sermons, etc. So it should not be difficult to find something about the everlasting covenant in the context of this final dispensation. A natural place to look would be in the first chapter of the Doctrine and Covenants. The relevance of covenants is of course implied in the title and the first chapter gives an introduction to the whole collection of revelations.

14 And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people;

15 For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant;

16 They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall. (D&C 1)

This is a voice of warning explaining the reasons for this restoration and the calamities that await. Those who will not hear the voice of the Lord shall be cut off because they have broken the everlasting covenant. This post explains how "cut off" is related to covenants. It is also interesting to note another reference to the creation as we already have seen throughout this series whenever there is a restoration of the covenants. In the beginning God created man in his image and likeness, but man creates his own God in the image and likeness of the world.

Another trend we have seen throughout this series is that the head of each dispensation is ordained after the order of the Son of God. God reestablishes his covenant through his authorized servant. Not only was the Aaronic Priesthood conferred upon Joseph Smith by John the Baptist followed by the Melchizedek Priesthood by Peter, James and John but a lot of lost teachings about this order were restored. There are several chapters in the D&C explaining the priesthood and one of them, D&C 84, also lays out the oath and covenant of the priesthood. 

We have seen how the various gospel dispensations typically have referred to previous ones. This is natural since covenants have been lost and needed restoration in addition to new covenants specific for that dispensation. How are the covenants of previous dispensations relevant for this dispensation in the fullness of times?

• Adam: The creation-covenant connection that has been mentioned, is evident in the temple. Joseph Smith restored temples and temple work on earth. All I will say here is that the creation and Adam play a big part here and those who have been there understand.
• Enoch: The dispensation in the fullness of times will, unlike previous ones, not result in apostasy but rather a New Jerusalem. Enoch was told that his city would meet the Zion in the latter days. This is the coming together of two dispensations.
• Noah: As discussed in part 3 of this series, this covenant is closely connected with Enoch's covenant. According to JST Genesis 9:21-25, the part of Noah's posterity that embraces the truth shall some day be part of the new Zion that meets Enoch's Zion. But there is also a link between the earth's baptism by water in the dispensation of Noah followed by the earth's baptism by fire in this last dispensation.
• Abraham: The restoration of this covenant is discussed throughout D&C 132. I will not go into detail here but "everlasting covenant" is repeated 7 times in this chapter and Abraham is mentioned by name 20 times. The new and everlasting covenant of eternal marriage, which is arguably the crowning covenant within the new and everlasting covenant, enables us all to become "father of a multitude" like our father Abraham.
• Moses: As discussed in part 5, this covenant was a substitute for the one the children of Israel first rejected. It was fulfilled in Christ and should therefore not need any restoration. But in a way it has been after all. In his wisdom, God has given us the Aaronic priesthood in this dispensation to enable preparation for the Melchizedek priesthood and its ordinances. Just like Israel got the lesser priesthood and the "preparatory gospel" (D&C 84:26), we have the chance to get a preparation before we receive the greater priesthood and the ordinances in which the power of godliness is manifest.
• Jesus Christ: Despite all the connections to previous dispensations, the restoration in the latter days is first and foremost a restoration of the gospel that Jesus preached and the priesthood and priesthood keys that he gave to Peter. But it is interesting to note that he first received the preparatory (Aaronic) priesthood from John the Baptist, who was the son of a Levite priest and prepared the way for Christ.

Here are some modern day revelations to Joseph Smith in the last dispensation about the everlasting covenant.

Wherefore, I say unto you that I have sent unto you mine everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning. (D&C 49:9)

Verily I say unto you, blessed are you for receiving mine everlasting covenant, even the fulness of my gospel, sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life and be made partakers of the glories which are to be revealed in the last days, as it was written by the prophets and apostles in days of old. (D&C 66:2)

And even so I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me. (D&C 45:9)

 

Conclusion

In this series we have seen how all the seven gospel dispensations have involved covenants. These are given in different forms but they can all be seen as part of the overall everlasting covenant and therefore are linked to each other and to the whole creation. The accounts of these dispensations often contain:

• References to the creation
• References to eternity or "before the foundation of the world"
• Hearkening to the word of God and receiving instruction
• Being called after His order
• Preaching and exemplifying redemption, becoming a new creation

In this final dispensation, we have the fullness of the gospel, often referred to as the new and everlasting covenant. "New" because it has been restored and "everlasting" because it is "from before the foundation of the world" and pertains to our eternal salvation.

Another parallel between the word of God and the covenant people

14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever. (2 Nephi 29)

Writing about the miraculous preservation of a remnant of Joseph of Egypt's coat (see here) got me thinking about the verse above.

The preservation of the coat is a symbol of both the promises made by God about His seed and also about His word. Both would be miraculously preserved by the hand of God until the day comes when they shall be gathered in one. We live in the day when that has begun. The covenant people are the ones who make sacred promises to live by the word of God. Both are miraculously preserved by the Word of God, who came into the world to be a light unto it.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (John 1)

In this post, I will review some of the key verses which detail how these promises are written about in the Book of Mormon.

The Words of Jacob/Israel

Here are the words of Jacob as quoted by Moroni as he rallied an army (by covenant) to defend the liberty of the Nephites:

24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed. And he said—Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment.

25 Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall be taken unto God.

26 Now behold, this was the language of Jacob. (Alma 46)

(The phrase "taken unto himself" in red is interesting and related, but outside the scope of this post, It will be the subject of a post in the next few days.)

Notice how Israel describes the remnant: "preserved and not decayed." He prophesies that the same will happen to a remnant of his son's seed.  What will make the difference between decaying and being preserved?  The word of God, of course. Having it and "keeping" it. In a magnificent and directly relevant sermon to his son Joseph, Lehi teaches this very clearly:

23 Wherefore, because of this covenant thou art blessed; for thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book. (2 Nephi 3)

As I read the words of Joseph of Egypt in Alma 46, I was immediately reminded of two key phrases in the Book of Mormon which revolve around the same theme, which equally apply to the people of God and the word of God and which have been the subject of several previous posts:

• "Kept and Preserved" (see this post)
• "Retain their Brightness" (see this post)

"Kept and Preserved"

Summarizing from the post linked above, we find various contexts in which the phrase "kept and preserved" appears in the Book of Mormon:

• the plates of brass (see Mosiah 1:3-5, Mosiah 28:11, Alma 37:3-4 and 14)
• the plates of Nephi (see 2 Nephi 25:21, Mosiah 28:11)
• righteous leaders (see Mosiah 2:11)
• God's people (see Omni 1:6, Mosiah 2:20, Mosiah 7:20, Alma 9:22, Alma 44:4)
• the Urim and Thummim (Mosiah 28:14)

The express purpose of the word of God is to bring about covenants (see 1 Nephi 13:40-41), thereby creating a covenant people.  Keep in mind that the word of God goes far beyond the written word.  It includes all that is necessary to walk to the tree of life.

"Retain their brightness"

Another phrase/symbol that can be applied to the word of God and the people of God is the concept of brightness. 

• Nephi's brother Jacob knew the things which were written upon plates "must remain" (Jacob 4:1), whereas anything written "upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away."
• Lehi, upon receiving the plates of brass, states: "these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time." (1 Nephi 5:19)
• King Benjamin says this about the words he was commanded to deliver to his people by an angel: "They shall stand as a bright testimony against this people, at the judgment day" (Mosiah 3:24)
• Alma-2 tells his son Helaman that "if they are kept they must retain their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy writ." (Alma 37:5)

Conclusion

This promise given by God to the ancient patriarchs underscores the intimate connection between God's covenant people and His word.  The connection between covenant-making and the scriptures is emphasized in our modern temples, too, in several important ways. I'll close this post with a prophecy of Joseph in Egypt about a Latter-day Joseph who restore this everlasting covenant to the earth and begin the final gathering of Israel:

7 Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers. (2 Nephi 3)

"the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters"

The creation account

The phrase in the heading has always been a bit mysterious. You may recognize it from the second verse of Genesis. The creation is a fascinating account chock full of symbolism. What to make of this phrase? Two important things are worth mentioning for a start. "Spirit" in this phrase is from the Hebrew word, "ruach", which can mean spirit, breath or wind. I will get back to that. Next, the symbolism of water. This is a complex symbol in ancient Hebrew culture with both positive and negative connotation. We have the pure, living waters, the fountain of righteousness, the symbolism of the life-giving substance that can be applied to our spiritual life. But it is also used as a chaos motif, especially when it is not confined within its bounds and when the tempest is raging. This is what we see in the very early stages of the creation account. The "darkness...upon the face of the deep" was frightening. But God did not remove the water. He separated the water and dry land and then "God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:10).

Noah and the flood

I have begun to understand how fundamental the creation account was in the Israelite culture. It keeps getting referenced, both in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, sometimes more subtly than others. This post shows some examples of how the story about Noah and the flood refers to the creation account. It is another story where the chaos motif of water is used, but also with a positive connotation because the earth was baptized and got a new start. But there was no spirit moving upon the waters. Or was there? In Genesis 8:1

God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged

Recall that wind and spirit is the same word in Hebrew. Ruach is used both in Genesis 8:1 and 1:2, only translated differently into English. So in both cases we have a "ruach" before the separation of water and land. Just to underscore the reference to the creation account, the next sentence in Genesis 8:2 starts with "the fountains...of the deep". "Deep" is translated from the Hebrew "tehom" that is also found in Genesis 1:2. It can also be translated into "sea" and is therefore synonymous with "waters" (Hebr. mayim). But it has a more negative connotation (it is also sometimes translated into "abyss").

Moses and the parting of the Red Sea

This 'ruach' of God turns up again in Exodus 14 prior to separation of waters and land

And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind [Hebr. ruach] all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. (Exodus 14:21)

In English, the "Spirit of God" and the "east wind" sound like two completely different things. Not in Hebrew. As mentioned, both spirit and wind is the same, but in addition, the 'east' signifies that it comes from God. Same pattern again, quite unmistakably, especially when the "deep" (tehom) is referenced once more as the Israelites sing about their redemption from the Egyptians.

4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

5 The depths [Hebr. tehom] have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.

6 Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. (Exodus 15)

Summary of the three accounts

We have three accounts where the ruach of God turns up right before the beneficial separation of water and dry land contrasted by the frightening tehom. The table below shows the contrasting context for these Hebrew words in the three stories.

Hebrew word	Creation account	Noah and the flood	Moses and the parting of the Red Sea
Tehom	Darkness (Genesis 1:2)	Broke up to cause a great flood (Genesis 7:11)	Egyptians drowning (Exodus 15:5)
Ruach	Preceding the separation of water and dry land, pronounced “good” (Genesis 1:2, 10)	Causing the flood to recede and redeem Noah and his family (Genesis 8:1)	Causing the Red Sea to divide and redeem Israel (Exodus 14:21)

There is a clear pattern. But what does it all mean? I don't know if I really have the full answer to that, but the New Testament offers intriguing insight. 

Birth/creation and rebirth/new creation

Recall when Jesus was baptized. The Spirit descended upon the waters of Jordan in the from of a dove. I don't think it is coincidence that familiar symbolism from the Old Testament accounts discussed above shows up at this event. Even though the New Testament is written in Greek and not Hebrew, there is still the same spirit/wind dualism. "Pneuma" means both and is the word used for "Spirit" in John 1:32

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

The Spirit from heaven reminds us of the "ruach" from God in the Old Testament accounts, but especially Noah. After the earth had been baptized, Noah sent forth a dove that we can imagine moving upon the face of the waters. The last time the dove was sent out, it did not return and Noah never saw it again. One can speculate if the authors of the Gospels wanted to indicate symbolically that Noah's dove finally found its "rest" on the Savior.

In any case, this symbolism shows up again a couple of chapters later. In John 3, Nicodemus comes to Jesus to ask him questions. Jesus teaches him about birth and rebirth.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3)

Jesus himself had been born of water and Spirit by John the baptist as quoted, and thereby set an example. He teaches Nicodemus that he set an example that everyone must follow to enter the kingdom of God. Then he goes on to say

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

Jesus uses a wordplay here since "wind" and "Spirit" both are the same word (not only in Greek, but also in Aramaic, the language that Jesus spoke).

These teachings by Jesus as recorded in John provides an excellent perspective into the passages from the Old Testament that we have discussed. The creation account is the birth of the earth. It is born of water and spirit. Later, at the time of Noah, we read about the rebirth of the earth, by water and spirit. Notice the similarity between the Hebrew "ruach" and "nuach" by the way, the latter meaning (divine) rest, a prevalent theme in the story of Noah from which also his name is derived. Even later, in Exodus, we learn about the spiritual rebirth of a covenant people, Israel. Again, water and "ruach" are the central components. The waters are a blessing and new beginning for the covenant people and a destructive force, the abyss ("tehom"), for the unrepentant sinners.

Jesus invites us to follow his example by becoming a new creation and entering into a covenant at the waters of baptism. The Old Testament teaches about these truths through deep symbolism.

"Blot out"

Here's my 2022 prediction: readers of this blog will see quite a bit of Old Testament-related material. :)

The thing is, understanding the Old Testament better has greatly deepened my understanding and appreciation of the Book of Mormon. Stisa and I have both taken a great interest in continuing this trend, and so the 2022 Come Follow Me curriculum sets up a perfect opportunity to dig in and feast on this wonderful material.

I'm definitely an amateur scriptorian. I've got exactly zero degrees in ancient languages, but we live in an amazing time when resources abound through the internet and other sources.  Even if you aren't interested in spending a dime, sites such as Biblehub.com and Biblegateway.com offer wonderful material to help understand the meaning of the scriptures in Hebrew and Greek. Recently I've purchased digital access to the NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. It's been a great help and many interesting ideas have sprung out of my study of this book.  I highly recommend it.

This post will detail a discovery I made this evening related to the term "blot out" (which Stisa has previously covered in this post) as found in Genesis 6:7 (NRSV):

6 And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 

7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 

8 But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord.

I am more familiar with other translations, so this use of blot out really stood out to me.  The KJV uses "destroy" in place of "blot out" and the NIV says: "wipe from the face of the earth."

The Hebrew root is:

machah: abolish (מָחָה) -- abolish, blot out, destroy, full of marrow, put out, reach unto, utterly, wipe away

The use of this term in the story of Noah is particularly meaningful. Humankind was to be "wiped out" by means of a flood.  This mirrors a basic meaning of the word:

Erasing writing from a scroll was normally effected by washing, and this action appears to be a basic meaning of מָחָה. Since wiping off or out implies the complete removal of whatever is in view, מָחָה is often used with great effect for both Yahweh’s judgment and salvation. (NIDOTTE Vol. 2, p. 913, emphasis added by me.)

"Blot out"

I've already made some important connections by learning that "destroy" and "blot out" are connected in Hebrew. Let's take a look at a few scriptures. First, in the context of a cursing related to adultery:

23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water: (Numbers 5)

The adulterer is then made to drink the bitter water. Very interesting symbolism.

Here is another example in the context of the idolatry of the children of Israel at Mount Sinai which provoked the wrath of God:

14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they. (Deuteronomy 9)

This same root is also used in a positive context, such as in this verse from Isaiah:

8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 25)

Or this one:

25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. (Isaiah 43)

It seems that there will be a "blotting out" for each of us at the day of judgment -- either our sins will be blotted out through the atonement of Christ or our names will be blotted out from the book of life if we reject Christ.  The covenant mediates all of this:

5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3)

And once again we see that this preservation is associated with symbolic clothing and a name. This preservation probably ties back in to the miraculous preservation of a remnant of the garment of Joseph of Egypt.  I'll discuss this in more detail in my next post. 

On the subject of names and 'blotting out,' King Benjamin makes a similar statement in connection with the name he gives to his people:

11 And moreover, I shall give this people a name, that thereby they may be distinguished above all the people which the Lord God hath brought out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I do because they have been a diligent people in keeping the commandments of the Lord.

12 And I give unto them a name that never shall be blotted out, except it be through transgression. (Mosiah 1)

Recall Alma-1, when faced with transgression on the part of members of the church, was given this revelation regarding how to deal with the situation:

29 Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also.

30 Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me. ...

32 Now I say unto you, Go; and whosoever will not repent of his sins the same shall not be numbered among my people; and this shall be observed from this time forward. ...

34 And it came to pass that Alma went and judged those that had been taken in iniquity, according to the word of the Lord.

35 And whosoever repented of their sins and did confess them, them he did number among the people of the church;

36 And those that would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were blotted out. (Mosiah 26)

The covenant between God and man allows all who will hearken and repent to have their names preserved. God's wrath is kindled against those who will not confess their sins and will not repent after hearing His voice. Whether it be called 'blotting out' or 'destroying,' the consequence of sin is separation from God, also known as spiritual death.

On the contrary, for all those who repent and hearken, their transgressions will be blotted out, wiped away, and remembered no more.  That bitter water associated with the adulterer in Numbers 5 sounds a lot like the 'bitter cup' spoken of by Christ in Doctrine & Covenants 19:

15 Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.

16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—

19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men. (Doctrine & Covenants 19)