"Would God that all the Lord's people were Prophets": Part 7

Three's Company; Four's a Crowd . . . Nine is a Phi Alpha Theta Party!

We've been studying how prophets are called.  And what we have discovered is quite astonishing: Joseph Smith was correct when he taught:

   All the prophets had
   the Melchizedek Priesthood
   and were ordained
   by God himself.

(Joseph Smith, TPJS, 181)

The question is, of course, how were they ordained by God himself?

Well, Joseph Smith tells us when discussing the prophet Melchizedek:

   [Melchizedek] was ordained
   an high priest . . . not by man,
   nor the will of man;
   neither by father nor mother;
   neither by beginning of days
   nor end of years; but of God;

   And it was delivered unto men
   by the calling of his own voice.

(JST Genesis 14:27-30)

That's it.  (For a more detailed discussion of this, try the post "Now I Have a Priesthood: Part 1.")

This gives new meaning to Joseph saying that the "keys of the kingdom" bestowed on him involved "the voice of God in the chamber of old Father Whitmer" (D&C 128:21).

It is God's "own voice" that confers power and authority, as we've seen:

   Example 1: Samuel in Part 4.

   Example 2: Amos in Part 4.

   Example 3: Elijah in Part 5 and Part 6.

Example 4: Nephi, Son of Helaman

Just take the example of Nephi in Helaman Chapter 10.  How was the sealing authority conferred?

   And it came to pass
   as he was thus pondering
   in his heart, behold, a voice came
   unto him saying:
   Blessed art thou, Nephi . . .
   I declare it unto thee
   in the presence of mine angels,
   that ye shall have power . . .
   that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth
   shall be sealed in heaven;
   and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth
   shall be loosed in heaven.

(Helaman 10:3-7)

This is perhaps the best example I can think of for how it all works.

   1.  God's "voice came" unto Nephi.

   2.  God called him by name.

   3.  God made an oath and covenant with Nephi with the angels as witnesses.

   4.  God bestowed power and authority to seal on earth and in heaven merely by stating it. 

   5.  God's word was good enough; no written contract or laying on of hands necessary.

Example 5:  Abraham.

Do we think of Abraham as a prophet?  He was one, and so much more.  He was a patriarch prophet, and now he sits on a throne in heaven (D&C 132:29), so I guess we could call him a king, too. 

A prophet-father and king (this is starting to sound like a Christ-figure).

Lets look at how prophets are (1) called and (2) what their missions entail.

Chances are, we're going to see the same pattern repeated. 

Which means you'll be ready to receive your own call from the Lord.

   1.  Abraham's Call

Amos was out with the sheep in the field when the voice of the Lord came to him; Samuel was in bed with a cup of chamomile tea; Elijah was dodging earthquakes in a cave; and now we have, taking the cake, Abraham being sacrificed along with some virgins on Pharaoh's altar when the voice of God confers upon him power and authority.

(It goes to show that the call can come anywhere, anytime.)

   And as they lifted up their hands
   upon me, that they might offer me up
   and take away my life . . .
   his voice was unto me:
   Abraham, Abraham,
   behold, my name is Jehovah . . .
   Behold, I will lead thee by my hand,
   and I will take thee,
   to put upon thee my name.

(Abraham 1:15-18)

Notice how the Lord called him by name, and put upon him His name?

And in Abraham 1:17, the Lord referred to Abraham as "my son."

   Why is that significant?

   2.  Abraham's Mission

And what was Abraham called to do?

He had to leave behind the false traditions of his idolatrous fathers and receive greater light and truth from the Fathers.

In other words, he destroyed the priestcraft of the Egyptians (who were the religious authorities of his day) and brought his family unto the True and Living God.

EXAMPLE 6: Moses 

   1.  Moses's Call

Surprise, surprise: history repeats itself. 

Abraham lived around 2000 B.C. and Moses about 1200 B.C. (six hundred years later), but the story is eerily similar.

   And God spake unto Moses, saying:​
   Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty,
   and Endless is my name.
   And I have a work for thee,
   Moses, my son.

(Moses 1:3, 6)

Just like the Egyptians tried to kill Abraham, they also tried to kill Moses (as a baby, and when he fled Egypt).

​Hmmm.  Notice how the Lord called Moses by name, and put upon him His name?

And in Moses 1:4, 6, 7, and 40 (that's four times!) the Lord referred to Moses as "my son."

   Why is that significant?

 2.  Moses's Mission

Let's see.  Moses destroyed the priestcraft of the Egyptians (who were the religious authorities of his day) and brought his family unto the True and Living God.

   Sound familiar?

EXAMPLE 7: Samuel the Lamanite

   1.  Samuel the Lamanite's Call

Let's change hemispheres to see if we can get some variety, shall we?

​   Behold, the voice of the Lord
   came unto him,
   that he should return again,
   and prophesy unto the people
   whatsoever things should come
   into his heart.

(Helaman 13:3)

Well, this is interesting.  The Lord personally sends Samuel (to whom he gives the gift of prophecy) to preach to the Nephites, even though Samuel held no ecclesiastical office and had no "authority" they would recognize.  

In fact, the Nephites were predisposed to disregard anything Samuel had to say because of their prejudice; and they had already "cast him out" for preaching the word, so Samuel's obedience is all the more remarkable considering he knew their hearts:

   And now, because I am a Lamanite,
   and have spoken unto you
   the words which the Lord
   hath commanded me,
   and because it was hard against you,
   ye are angry with me
   and do seek to destroy me,
   and have cast me out
   from among you.

(Helaman 14:10)

I always get a kick out of the Nephites' response to Samuel:

​   "Take this fellow and bind him,
   for behold he hath a devil."

(Helaman 16:6)

Likewise said they of Jesus.

 2.  Samuel the Lamanite's Mission

So Samuel was called to preach the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Nephites, which happened to destroy their priestcraft, wanting to bring them unto the True and Living God.

We're not done, oh no.  Next time we'll be looking at the examples of Abinadi, John the Baptist, Joseph Smith, and the Lord himself, Jesus Christ.  
​
Stay tuned, my friends!