Book of Mormon Commentary - Mormon 9

by Don R. Hender

It ought to be of significance to understand that Moroni wrote the whole of what is now chapters 8 and 9 in his father's book at one such writing session. Unfortunately, what was meant to be a help in further dividing the Book of Mormon into scriptural like chapters and verses for reference and study, has made two chapters out of what was but one. In the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, as approved by Joseph Smith, this last writing of Moroni is just one continuous 'sermon' or record account engraved at one time over but a few days at best. It begins with 'Behold, I Moroni do finish the record of my father, Mormon' in what is today Mormon 8:1 and it ends with 'Amen' at the end of Mormon 9 verse 37. And the whole of it is but one chapter, Chapter IV in the original 1830 edition, but now it does consist of the two artificially divided paragraphs. It was under Orson Pratt's effort and good intentions that this single 'sermon chapter' was divided into two equally long chapters with the various numbered verses now in today's Book of Mormon. Due to this artificial chapter division, which divides a paragraph in its middle to so equally divide the text into two shorter chapters, many students of the Book of Mormon seem to disconnect from the fact that it is but one continuous 'sermon record' writing of Moroni prepared at just one time and sitting of engraving. And they are even mislead and tend to further divide and prescribe to these now two chapters in the short book of Mormon, that which is not in fact so stated in the book.
Moroni who writes to finish his father's record and ends with amen, and that is the whole of it, states only one date that can in all objectivity be ascribed to Moroni's writing, which finishes his fathers book. That single date is 400 A.D., four hundred years since the coming of the Savior into the world. Now Moroni speaks of various events which took place prior to 400 A.D. such as his father's death in a battle after Cumorah, the final extermination of all the Nephites with the Lamanites hunting them down from city to city and the fact that Moroni as of 400 A.D. is the last living Nephite (that is a true follower of Christ who has not deseased or joined himself with the Lamanites). Now the whole of this writing occurs as of this given date, 400 A.D. It is after all but one writing. It may have taken a few days to engrave, but certainly it is one continuous writing which ends with 'amen', its one and only true ending point. Thus the suggested date given to these two artificially divided chapters from the single message of Moroni is quite recognizably in error when it suggest a time frame beginning in 400 A.D. and running up to 421 A.D. In reality it was all written in 400 A.D. and the actual span of the time relative to the history given in Moroni's text is from 385 A.D to 400 A.D.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

             CHAPTER 9
Moroni calls upon those who do not believe in Christ to repent—He proclaims a God of miracles, who gives revelations and pours out gifts and signs upon the faithful—Miracles cease becasue of unbelief—Signs follow those who believe—Men are exhorted to be wise and keep the commandments. [Between A.D. 400 and 421]

To Those Who Do Not Believe in Christ

1 AND now, I speak also concerning those who do not believe in Christ^a.

Orson Pratt's Division Now Orson Pratt seems to divide a great long paragraph of the original Book of Mormon at this point to divide the first final words of Moroni into two chapters. Why Orson Pratt divided the paragraph at this point can only be surmised. It is at a point where Moroni does particularly speak to they who do not believe in Christ. This would include all non-Christians. And this first line of thought continues until verse 7 where Moroni again states to whom he is speaking as being those who deny the revelations of God, which is a different category. For there are traditional Christians who so proclaim that God no longer speaks to man, that there are no revelations or prophecies, nor the the gifts of the Holy Ghost, though they fain a belief in Christ. 1^a AND now, I speak also concerning those who do not believe in Christ In the 1830 Book of Mormon, this was not the beginning of a new Chapter. In fact this was a part of a very long paragraph which begain even from the first of what is now chapter 8. It was Orson Pratt who divided this large paragraph in its middle in order to made two smaller equally sized chapters, now Mormon 8 and 9 out of one long chapter, chapter 4, in the 1830 original edition. Thus this statement is most certainly all the part of one continuous writing of Moroni which was entered to the intent and purpose to finish the Book or Mormon, Moroni not knowing then that he would live to write again in the record. Moroni Buries the Plates   Now Moroni did hid up the plate in the earth unto the Lord for the first time at the date of 400 A.D. And this he did in the 401^st year A.D. as indicated by Mormon 8:4&6 which states that 400 years had passed away since the coming or the birth of the Lord our Savior. And all of Mormon chapter 8 and 9 is but one continuous last message of Moroni which he did engrave upon the last room that there was upon the plates which his father had given him. For the bulk of that last message now divided between two chapter by Orson Pratt was in one long continuous chapter in the original 1830 edition indicating it was so engraven in one continuous engraving by the hand of Moroni. And Orson Pratt did divide that paragraph in two in order to produce the two chapters 8 & 9 as we have them today. Indeed Moroni states that there is not even room enough that he could have expounded upon these plates and written the intent and purpose of the book according to his own words. And this because he did not have at that time ore with which to make more plates (Mormon 8:5). This implies that if Moroni had had more time and ore he could have made more plates, he having that skill with which he could have done it.

2 Behold, will ye believe in the day of your visitation—behold, when the Lord shall come, yea, even that ^agreat day when the ^bearth shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall ^cmelt with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God—then will ye say that there is no God?
3 Then will ye longer deny the Christ, or can ye behold the Lamb of God? Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a ^aconsciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws?
4 Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your ^afilthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the ^bdamned souls in ^chell.

2^a Mal. 4:5; 3 Ne. 28:31
   ^b Morm. 5:23; D&C 63:21 (20-21);
     TG World, End of
   ^c Amos 9:13; 3 Ne. 26:3
3^a TG Conscience; TG Guilt
4^a TG Filthiness
   ^b TG Damnation
   ^c TG Hell

5 For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your ^anakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the ^bholiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you.
6 O then ye ^aunbelieving, ^bturn ye unto the Lord; cry mightily unto the Father in the name of Jesus, that perhaps ye may be found spotless, ^cpure, fair, and white, having been cleansed by the blood of the ^dLamb, at that great and last day.

5^a Ex. 32:25; 2 Ne. 9:14
   ^b TG Holiness
6^a TG Unbelief, Unbelievers
   ^b Ezek. 18:23, 32; D&C 98:47
   ^c TG Cleanliness; TG Purification
   ^d TG Jesus Christ, Lamb of God

To Those Who Deny the Revelations and Powers of God

7 And again I speak unto you who ^adeny the revelations of God, and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues, and the ^binterpretation of tongues;
8 Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the ^agospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if so, he does not ^bunderstand them.
9 For do we not read that God is the ^asame ^byesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no ^cvariableness neither shadow of changing?

7^a 3 Ne. 29:6
   ^b 1 Cor. 12:10; A of F 7
8^a TG Gospel
   ^b Matt. 22:29
9^a Heb. 13:8; 1 Ne. 10:18-19; Alma 7:20;
     Moro. 8:18; D&C 20:12
   ^b TG God, Eternal Nature of
   ^c TG God, Perfection of

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 God of miracles.
11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of ^amiracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same ^{b b}God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are^a.

11^a God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are The relationship between the Father and Son is summarized in John 1:1. That is the Son Jesus Christ who is the same as Jehovah was in Heaven with God the Supreme Father Elohim, so the 'Word' was with God [Elohim], and the 'Word' was God [Jehovah] by that empowerment which he received of the Father as per his calling and anointing. By that priesthood empowerment of the power of God, under the direction of the Father, Jehovah created the temporal heavens and earth. Thus accordingly, that which he hath created temporally he is in the position to save or redeem. That empowerment is also referenced as Jehovah's 'Divine Investiture' whereby he was empowered to act for and in behalf of the Supreme Father in all things pertaining to this, his, creation. That is unto us he stands in the stead of the Father in all things, and only in and through him as our mediator, advocate, intercessor do we return and approach the Father and there is no other way under Heaven so given but by, in and through him. The only thing that distinguishes the Supreme Father and Jehovah the Son, who stands in his stead, is that God the Eternal Father is the Father of the spirits of mankind, the eldest son of whom is Jehovah, even Jesus Christ. Jehovah was the firstborn of the spirit and the only begotten of the Father in the flesh. It was as a God of Spirit that Jehovah, by the Power of God, did create, and it will be as a God of Celestial Flesh and Bone by which Jesus Christ will come to earth again to Rule and Reign. It is in the matter of the eternal purpose of Heaven that the Father and the Son are one, and that is 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.' 11^a TG God, Power of
     ^b Gen. 1:1; Mosiah 4:2; D&C 76:24 (20-24)
     ^b John 1:3 (1-3)

12 Behold he created Adam^a, and by ^aAdam came the ^bfall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son^a; and because of Jesus Christ came the ^credemption of man.
13 And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the ^apresence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the ^bresurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless ^csleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal ^dband of death, which death is a temporal death.

12^a he created Adam The God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, who is Jehovah, created Adam. Now the spirit of Adam was born of God the Father of Spirits who we refer to as Elohim. Jehovah was the Firstborn son of the Father of Spirits. And as such he was the heir of the Father. And it was Jehovah who was selected to be the God of this second estate. And it was Jehovah who under the direction of the Father created all things, the heavens and the earth, and all things in them are. He even created the temporal body of flesh and bone for Adam's spirit to dwell dwell in.
12^b Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son And here in lies a mystery of how its is that Jesus Christ is both Father and Son. The uninspired apostates of the early Christian church could not understand the mystery of themselves, having lost that spirit of revelation which makes it known and understandable unto man. And they made God the Father of Spirits, God the Son, who is Jehovah even Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost into one uncomprehensible God of only spirite essence. They did not understand how Jehovah could be both Father and Son, knowing not that there are various ways that the title Father is given. Jehovah who is the same as Jesus Christ is not the same as God the Father of Spirits. Jehovah even Jesus Christ is the Father of himselve. That thought makes reason stare, but that is what man has made of him. Jesus Christ/Jehovah is not the Father of the spirits of man. Jesus Christ/Jehovah as the creator of the temporal body of flesh and bone in which the spirit of Adam came to dwell was created by Jehovah/Jesus Christ. In this thing Jehovah may be so referred to as Father, being the 'father maker' of the temporal housing of Adam's body in which Adam's spirit doth dwell. Jesus/Jehovah is also the Father in that further sense that he is the Father of the Creation of this second temporal estate, both the heavens and the earth and all that in them are as pertaining to his second estate. He is also the gospel Father through whom we are born again. Thus Jesus Christ is the Father and the Son. That is he is the Father in all respects except that He IS NOT the Father of Spirits who we know as Elohim, who is the Father of the spirits of us all.
And just as I can be a Father, a Son and even a Brother, and still be the same person who is not the same as my Father, so it is with Christ, that he can be the Father in many distinctions without being that same personage who is the Father of Spirits and the Father of the spirit of Jehovah, His Firstborn, as well as the Father of all our spirits. 12^a Mosiah 3:26; Moro. 8:8
     ^b TG Fall of Man
     ^c TG Jesus Christ, Redeemer
13^a TG God, Presence of
     ^b Hel. 14:15-18
     ^c Dan. 12:2; D&C 43:18
     ^d Alma 36:18; D&C 138:16

14 And then cometh the ^ajudgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is ^bfilthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still.
15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do ^ano miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles. 14^a TG Judgment, The Last
     ^b Alma 7:21; D&C 88:35
15^a Morm. 8:26; Moro. 7:35; D&C 35:8;
       TG Miracle

16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous ^aworks of God?
17 Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his ^aword the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was ^bcreated of the ^cdust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?
18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not many mighty ^amiracles? And there were many ^bmighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.

To they who deny miracles To they who state nothing new Cannon of scriptur - fixed etc.? No, it is God who is fixed and he will always deal with men with miracles, angels, prophets and revelations. 16^a Ps. 40:5; Ps. 92:5; D&C 76:114;
       Moses 1:4 (3-5)
17^a Jacob 4:9
     ^b TG Man, Physical Creation of
     ^c Gen. 2:7; Mosiah 2:25; D&C 77:12;
       D&C 93:35 (33-35)
18^a John 6:14; 3 Ne. 8:1
     ^b Mark 6:5

19 And if there were ^amiracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he ^bchangeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do ^amiracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should ^btrust.

19^a Rom. 15:19 (18-19); D&C 63:10 (7-10)
     ^b TG God, Perfection of
20^a Judg. 6:13 (11-13); Ether 12:12-18;
       Moro. 7:37
     ^b TG Trust in God

21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, ^awhatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him^a; and this ^bpromise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
22 For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to ^aall his disciples, in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature;
23 And he that ^abelieveth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be ^bdamned;

21^a whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him The promise seems to be an unconditional promise of that which is stated. Do you believe in Jesus Christ Jehovah? There is knowledge, understanding and then there is belief. Peter, by the witness of the Holy Ghost declared that Jesus was the Son of God. Peter believed in Jesus so much that when Jesus came walking on the sea, Peter ventured right on out of the boat to meet him. For how many steps did Peter's faith carry him? Doubting nothing is key in promise. Yet Jesus did grant unto John and the three desciples the desire of their heart when they dared but to ask it. Whatsoever shall be asked the Father in the name of Christ shall be granted. An undoubting faith in the Father and the Son seems implicit as well. Relatively not many have been given to know and understand the matter and reasoning of the Father and the Son. It was but mystery to the church of the apostasy. Yet is seems as simple as that which is stated in the Lord's prayer Jesus taught as a sample of the prayer of faith to ask. "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, believing . . . " (Matthew 21:22; John 14:13-14; John 15:7; John 16:23; Enos 1:15; D&C 132:40 21^a Matt. 21:22 (18-22); 3 Ne. 18:20
     ^b TG Promise
22^a Mark 16:15; TG Missionary Work; TG World
23^a Mark 16:16
     ^b TG Damnation

24 And ^athese signs shall follow them that believe—in my name shall they cast out ^bdevils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay ^chands on the sick and they shall recover;
25 And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing, unto him will I ^aconfirm all my words, even unto the ends of the earth.

24^a Mark 16:17-18; TG Signs
     ^b Mark 5:15-20; 1 Ne. 11:31
     ^c TG Administrations to the Sick;
       TG Hands, Laying on of;
25^a TG Testimony

26 And now, behold, who can stand ^aagainst the works of the Lord? ^bWho can deny his sayings? Who will rise up against the almighty power of the Lord? Who will despise the works of the Lord? Who will despise the children of Christ? Behold, all ye who are ^cdespisers of the works of the Lord, for ye shall wonder and perish.
27 O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. ^aDoubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and ^bcome unto the Lord with all your ^cheart, and ^dwork out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.

26^a 2 Ne. 26:20; 2 Ne. 28:5 (4-6, 15)
     ^b 3 Ne. 29:5 (4-7)
     ^c Prov. 13:13
27^a TG Doubt
     ^b 3 Ne. 21:20; Ether 5:5; Moro. 10:30-32
     ^c Josh. 22:5; D&C 64:34 (22, 34);
       TG Commitment
     ^d Philip. 2:12-16

28 Be ^awise in the days of your ^bprobation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your ^clusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and ^dliving God.
29 See that ye are not baptized ^aunworthily; see that ye partake not of the sacrament of Christ ^bunworthily; but see that ye do all things in ^cworthiness, and do it in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God; and if ye do this, and endure to the end, ye will in nowise be cast out.

28^a Matt. 10:16; Jacob 6:12
     ^b TG Probation
     ^c TG Covetousness; TG Lust
     ^d Alma 5:13
29^a TG Baptism, Qualifications for
     ^b Lev. 22:3; 1 Cor. 11:27-30;
       3 Ne. 18:29 (28-32)
     ^c TG Worthiness

30 Behold, I speak unto you as though I ^aspake from the dead; for I know that ye shall have my words.
31 Condemn me not because of mine ^aimperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been.

30^a Morm. 8:26; Moro. 10:27
31^a Morm. 8:17; Ether 12:23 (22-28, 35)

32 And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the ^areformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.
33 And if our plates had been ^asufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no ^bimperfection in our record.

32^a 1 Ne. 1:2; Mosiah 1:2-4
33^a Jarom 1:14 (2, 14)
     ^b 3 Ne. 5:18

34 But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth our language; and because that none other people knoweth our language, therefore he hath prepared ^ameans for the interpretation thereof.
35 And these things are written that we may rid our garments of the blood of our ^abrethren, who have dwindled in unbelief.

34^a Mosiah 8:13-18; Ether 3:23, 28; D&C 17:1
35^a 2 Ne. 26:15

36 And behold, these things which we have ^adesired concerning our brethren, yea, even their restoration to the knowledge of Christ, are according to the prayers of all the saints who have dwelt in the land.
37 And may the Lord Jesus Christ grant that their prayers may be answered according to their faith; and may God the Father remember the covenant which he hath made with the house of Israel; and may he bless them forever, through faith on the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

36^a Morm. 5:21; Morm. 8:24-26; D&C 10:46-49

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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 9 Moroni calls upon those who do not believe in Christ to repent—He proclaims a God of miracles, who gives revelations and pours out gifts and signs upon the faithful—Miracles cease becasue of unbelief—Signs follow those who believe—Men are exhorted to be wise and keep the commandments. [Between A.D. 400 and 421]
To Those Who Do Not Believe in Christ
1 AND now, I speak also concerning those who do not believe in Christ^a. Orson Pratt's Division Now Orson Pratt seems to divide a great long paragraph of the original Book of Mormon at this point to divide the first final words of Moroni into two chapters. Why Orson Pratt divided the paragraph at this point can only be surmised. It is at a point where Moroni does particularly speak to they who do not believe in Christ. This would include all non-Christians. And this first line of thought continues until verse 7 where Moroni again states to whom he is speaking as being those who deny the revelations of God, which is a different category. For there are traditional Christians who so proclaim that God no longer speaks to man, that there are no revelations or prophecies, nor the the gifts of the Holy Ghost, though they fain a belief in Christ.	1^a AND now, I speak also concerning those who do not believe in Christ In the 1830 Book of Mormon, this was not the beginning of a new Chapter. In fact this was a part of a very long paragraph which begain even from the first of what is now chapter 8. It was Orson Pratt who divided this large paragraph in its middle in order to made two smaller equally sized chapters, now Mormon 8 and 9 out of one long chapter, chapter 4, in the 1830 original edition. Thus this statement is most certainly all the part of one continuous writing of Moroni which was entered to the intent and purpose to finish the Book or Mormon, Moroni not knowing then that he would live to write again in the record.	Moroni Buries the Plates Now Moroni did hid up the plate in the earth unto the Lord for the first time at the date of 400 A.D. And this he did in the 401^st year A.D. as indicated by Mormon 8:4&6 which states that 400 years had passed away since the coming or the birth of the Lord our Savior. And all of Mormon chapter 8 and 9 is but one continuous last message of Moroni which he did engrave upon the last room that there was upon the plates which his father had given him. For the bulk of that last message now divided between two chapter by Orson Pratt was in one long continuous chapter in the original 1830 edition indicating it was so engraven in one continuous engraving by the hand of Moroni. And Orson Pratt did divide that paragraph in two in order to produce the two chapters 8 & 9 as we have them today. Indeed Moroni states that there is not even room enough that he could have expounded upon these plates and written the intent and purpose of the book according to his own words. And this because he did not have at that time ore with which to make more plates (Mormon 8:5). This implies that if Moroni had had more time and ore he could have made more plates, he having that skill with which he could have done it.
2 Behold, will ye believe in the day of your visitation—behold, when the Lord shall come, yea, even that ^agreat day when the ^bearth shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall ^cmelt with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God—then will ye say that there is no God? 3 Then will ye longer deny the Christ, or can ye behold the Lamb of God? Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a ^aconsciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws? 4 Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your ^afilthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the ^bdamned souls in ^chell.		2^a Mal. 4:5; 3 Ne. 28:31 ^b Morm. 5:23; D&C 63:21 (20-21); TG World, End of ^c Amos 9:13; 3 Ne. 26:3 3^a TG Conscience; TG Guilt 4^a TG Filthiness ^b TG Damnation ^c TG Hell
5 For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your ^anakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the ^bholiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you. 6 O then ye ^aunbelieving, ^bturn ye unto the Lord; cry mightily unto the Father in the name of Jesus, that perhaps ye may be found spotless, ^cpure, fair, and white, having been cleansed by the blood of the ^dLamb, at that great and last day.		5^a Ex. 32:25; 2 Ne. 9:14 ^b TG Holiness 6^a TG Unbelief, Unbelievers ^b Ezek. 18:23, 32; D&C 98:47 ^c TG Cleanliness; TG Purification ^d TG Jesus Christ, Lamb of God
To Those Who Deny the Revelations and Powers of God
7 And again I speak unto you who ^adeny the revelations of God, and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues, and the ^binterpretation of tongues; 8 Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the ^agospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if so, he does not ^bunderstand them. 9 For do we not read that God is the ^asame ^byesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no ^cvariableness neither shadow of changing?		7^a 3 Ne. 29:6 ^b 1 Cor. 12:10; A of F 7 8^a TG Gospel ^b Matt. 22:29 9^a Heb. 13:8; 1 Ne. 10:18-19; Alma 7:20; Moro. 8:18; D&C 20:12 ^b TG God, Eternal Nature of ^c TG God, Perfection of
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 God of miracles. 11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of ^amiracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same ^{b b}God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are^a.	11^a God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are The relationship between the Father and Son is summarized in John 1:1. That is the Son Jesus Christ who is the same as Jehovah was in Heaven with God the Supreme Father Elohim, so the 'Word' was with God [Elohim], and the 'Word' was God [Jehovah] by that empowerment which he received of the Father as per his calling and anointing. By that priesthood empowerment of the power of God, under the direction of the Father, Jehovah created the temporal heavens and earth. Thus accordingly, that which he hath created temporally he is in the position to save or redeem. That empowerment is also referenced as Jehovah's 'Divine Investiture' whereby he was empowered to act for and in behalf of the Supreme Father in all things pertaining to this, his, creation. That is unto us he stands in the stead of the Father in all things, and only in and through him as our mediator, advocate, intercessor do we return and approach the Father and there is no other way under Heaven so given but by, in and through him. The only thing that distinguishes the Supreme Father and Jehovah the Son, who stands in his stead, is that God the Eternal Father is the Father of the spirits of mankind, the eldest son of whom is Jehovah, even Jesus Christ. Jehovah was the firstborn of the spirit and the only begotten of the Father in the flesh. It was as a God of Spirit that Jehovah, by the Power of God, did create, and it will be as a God of Celestial Flesh and Bone by which Jesus Christ will come to earth again to Rule and Reign. It is in the matter of the eternal purpose of Heaven that the Father and the Son are one, and that is 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.'	11^a TG God, Power of ^b Gen. 1:1; Mosiah 4:2; D&C 76:24 (20-24) ^b John 1:3 (1-3)
12 Behold he created Adam^a, and by ^aAdam came the ^bfall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son^a; and because of Jesus Christ came the ^credemption of man. 13 And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the ^apresence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the ^bresurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless ^csleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal ^dband of death, which death is a temporal death.	12^a he created Adam The God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, who is Jehovah, created Adam. Now the spirit of Adam was born of God the Father of Spirits who we refer to as Elohim. Jehovah was the Firstborn son of the Father of Spirits. And as such he was the heir of the Father. And it was Jehovah who was selected to be the God of this second estate. And it was Jehovah who under the direction of the Father created all things, the heavens and the earth, and all things in them are. He even created the temporal body of flesh and bone for Adam's spirit to dwell dwell in. 12^b Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son And here in lies a mystery of how its is that Jesus Christ is both Father and Son. The uninspired apostates of the early Christian church could not understand the mystery of themselves, having lost that spirit of revelation which makes it known and understandable unto man. And they made God the Father of Spirits, God the Son, who is Jehovah even Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost into one uncomprehensible God of only spirite essence. They did not understand how Jehovah could be both Father and Son, knowing not that there are various ways that the title Father is given. Jehovah who is the same as Jesus Christ is not the same as God the Father of Spirits. Jehovah even Jesus Christ is the Father of himselve. That thought makes reason stare, but that is what man has made of him. Jesus Christ/Jehovah is not the Father of the spirits of man. Jesus Christ/Jehovah as the creator of the temporal body of flesh and bone in which the spirit of Adam came to dwell was created by Jehovah/Jesus Christ. In this thing Jehovah may be so referred to as Father, being the 'father maker' of the temporal housing of Adam's body in which Adam's spirit doth dwell. Jesus/Jehovah is also the Father in that further sense that he is the Father of the Creation of this second temporal estate, both the heavens and the earth and all that in them are as pertaining to his second estate. He is also the gospel Father through whom we are born again. Thus Jesus Christ is the Father and the Son. That is he is the Father in all respects except that He IS NOT the Father of Spirits who we know as Elohim, who is the Father of the spirits of us all. And just as I can be a Father, a Son and even a Brother, and still be the same person who is not the same as my Father, so it is with Christ, that he can be the Father in many distinctions without being that same personage who is the Father of Spirits and the Father of the spirit of Jehovah, His Firstborn, as well as the Father of all our spirits.	12^a Mosiah 3:26; Moro. 8:8 ^b TG Fall of Man ^c TG Jesus Christ, Redeemer 13^a TG God, Presence of ^b Hel. 14:15-18 ^c Dan. 12:2; D&C 43:18 ^d Alma 36:18; D&C 138:16
14 And then cometh the ^ajudgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is ^bfilthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still. 15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do ^ano miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.		14^a TG Judgment, The Last ^b Alma 7:21; D&C 88:35 15^a Morm. 8:26; Moro. 7:35; D&C 35:8; TG Miracle
16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous ^aworks of God? 17 Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his ^aword the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was ^bcreated of the ^cdust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought? 18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not many mighty ^amiracles? And there were many ^bmighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.	To they who deny miracles To they who state nothing new Cannon of scriptur - fixed etc.? No, it is God who is fixed and he will always deal with men with miracles, angels, prophets and revelations.	16^a Ps. 40:5; Ps. 92:5; D&C 76:114; Moses 1:4 (3-5) 17^a Jacob 4:9 ^b TG Man, Physical Creation of ^c Gen. 2:7; Mosiah 2:25; D&C 77:12; D&C 93:35 (33-35) 18^a John 6:14; 3 Ne. 8:1 ^b Mark 6:5
19 And if there were ^amiracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he ^bchangeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles. 20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do ^amiracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should ^btrust.		19^a Rom. 15:19 (18-19); D&C 63:10 (7-10) ^b TG God, Perfection of 20^a Judg. 6:13 (11-13); Ether 12:12-18; Moro. 7:37 ^b TG Trust in God
21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, ^awhatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him^a; and this ^bpromise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth. 22 For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to ^aall his disciples, in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; 23 And he that ^abelieveth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be ^bdamned;	21^a whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him The promise seems to be an unconditional promise of that which is stated. Do you believe in Jesus Christ Jehovah? There is knowledge, understanding and then there is belief. Peter, by the witness of the Holy Ghost declared that Jesus was the Son of God. Peter believed in Jesus so much that when Jesus came walking on the sea, Peter ventured right on out of the boat to meet him. For how many steps did Peter's faith carry him? Doubting nothing is key in promise. Yet Jesus did grant unto John and the three desciples the desire of their heart when they dared but to ask it. Whatsoever shall be asked the Father in the name of Christ shall be granted. An undoubting faith in the Father and the Son seems implicit as well. Relatively not many have been given to know and understand the matter and reasoning of the Father and the Son. It was but mystery to the church of the apostasy. Yet is seems as simple as that which is stated in the Lord's prayer Jesus taught as a sample of the prayer of faith to ask. "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, believing . . . " (Matthew 21:22; John 14:13-14; John 15:7; John 16:23; Enos 1:15; D&C 132:40	21^a Matt. 21:22 (18-22); 3 Ne. 18:20 ^b TG Promise 22^a Mark 16:15; TG Missionary Work; TG World 23^a Mark 16:16 ^b TG Damnation
24 And ^athese signs shall follow them that believe—in my name shall they cast out ^bdevils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay ^chands on the sick and they shall recover; 25 And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing, unto him will I ^aconfirm all my words, even unto the ends of the earth.		24^a Mark 16:17-18; TG Signs ^b Mark 5:15-20; 1 Ne. 11:31 ^c TG Administrations to the Sick; TG Hands, Laying on of; 25^a TG Testimony
26 And now, behold, who can stand ^aagainst the works of the Lord? ^bWho can deny his sayings? Who will rise up against the almighty power of the Lord? Who will despise the works of the Lord? Who will despise the children of Christ? Behold, all ye who are ^cdespisers of the works of the Lord, for ye shall wonder and perish. 27 O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. ^aDoubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and ^bcome unto the Lord with all your ^cheart, and ^dwork out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.		26^a 2 Ne. 26:20; 2 Ne. 28:5 (4-6, 15) ^b 3 Ne. 29:5 (4-7) ^c Prov. 13:13 27^a TG Doubt ^b 3 Ne. 21:20; Ether 5:5; Moro. 10:30-32 ^c Josh. 22:5; D&C 64:34 (22, 34); TG Commitment ^d Philip. 2:12-16
28 Be ^awise in the days of your ^bprobation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your ^clusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and ^dliving God. 29 See that ye are not baptized ^aunworthily; see that ye partake not of the sacrament of Christ ^bunworthily; but see that ye do all things in ^cworthiness, and do it in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God; and if ye do this, and endure to the end, ye will in nowise be cast out.		28^a Matt. 10:16; Jacob 6:12 ^b TG Probation ^c TG Covetousness; TG Lust ^d Alma 5:13 29^a TG Baptism, Qualifications for ^b Lev. 22:3; 1 Cor. 11:27-30; 3 Ne. 18:29 (28-32) ^c TG Worthiness
30 Behold, I speak unto you as though I ^aspake from the dead; for I know that ye shall have my words. 31 Condemn me not because of mine ^aimperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been.		30^a Morm. 8:26; Moro. 10:27 31^a Morm. 8:17; Ether 12:23 (22-28, 35)
32 And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the ^areformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech. 33 And if our plates had been ^asufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no ^bimperfection in our record.		32^a 1 Ne. 1:2; Mosiah 1:2-4 33^a Jarom 1:14 (2, 14) ^b 3 Ne. 5:18
34 But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth our language; and because that none other people knoweth our language, therefore he hath prepared ^ameans for the interpretation thereof. 35 And these things are written that we may rid our garments of the blood of our ^abrethren, who have dwindled in unbelief.		34^a Mosiah 8:13-18; Ether 3:23, 28; D&C 17:1 35^a 2 Ne. 26:15
36 And behold, these things which we have ^adesired concerning our brethren, yea, even their restoration to the knowledge of Christ, are according to the prayers of all the saints who have dwelt in the land. 37 And may the Lord Jesus Christ grant that their prayers may be answered according to their faith; and may God the Father remember the covenant which he hath made with the house of Israel; and may he bless them forever, through faith on the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.		36^a Morm. 5:21; Morm. 8:24-26; D&C 10:46-49