Come Unto the Vision of All
Part IV
prepared by Don R. Hender
"And the vision of all* is become unto you as a book that is
sealed, which men deliver to one
that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
"And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: an he
saith, I am not learned."
~ Isaiah 29:11-12 ~
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As previously spoken of in the first three parts of this
series is such information given concerning the Vision of All an the manner and to who God does
reveal his revealed truths. Particularly spoken of has been the 'vision of all' as that is in fact
unto that degree man ought to be seeking to have the things of God revealed unto him, even the
mysteries and secrets and all that God has to reveal unto the understanding and knowledge of man,
even the vision of all. On the one hand it is a very simple matter, though here we will give it
as a listing of such scriptures as do relate to it. Simply stated come unto God, live his
commandments and hear his word even unto salvation.
With that said, lets turn to another who seems to have come to gain God's understanding of his
mysteries even unto the vision of all, and that is Alma the Younger. Alma the younger has a very
particular conversion unto the gospel but the avenue and priciples are the same, as Alma begins
to disclose to the lawyer Zeezrom just how and by what power [according to the spirit of
prophecy-the Holy Ghost], how it is that man obtains unto the mysteries of God. Now in the case
of Alma the younger, I am left to suppose that his father, Alma sr., has been speaking and
teaching his son for so long that Alma the younger's resistance had backed up within himself
a momentous amount of resisted knowledge and understanding, that when that dam broke in upon
Alma the younger upon the dam breaking visit of the angel, that Alma the younger had fallen
into a great stupper of mind and thought from the flood that had suddenly entered in upon
himself. And he had gone into a state of unconsciousness while the sons of Mosiah did not.
But now as to the means by which we ordinanry men may come unto the gaining of the mysteries
of God, even unto a 'vision of all' as it were. As said this is Alma the Younger preaching unto
such as Zeezrom the lawyer in the city of Ammonihah:
"And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying:
It is given unto many to know the mysteries of
God; nevertheless they are laid under a
strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he
doth grant unto the children of men, according
to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
"And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the
same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he
that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word,
until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of
God until he know them in full.
"And they that will harden their hearts, to them is
given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries;
and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led
by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell."
~ Book of Mormon | Alma 12:9-11
Now there is really nothing here that ought to be two mind boggling as it is laid out according
to common sense. But we will inspect it item by item before we continue on to further detailing
of the matter.
It is given unto may to know the mysteries of God An educated list may be
deduced as to such of those who God has revealed his mysteries of all things. Upon this list
from a Book of Mormon frame of reference might begin with Mahonri Moriancumr to whom the total
of the 'vision of all' was given, along with the assignment to write it for the use of man
according to the due 'times' of the Lord. Ether, who compiled the Jaredite record would also
therefore have rewritten that vision of Moriancumr upon his set of plates. King Mosiah further
retranslated it as seer and it was had among the poeple at the time of Christ's visit. Moroni
also further translated it again and he had Mosiah's account to compare his translation to I
might suppose. Other of the Book of Mormon account also had like experiences such as Lehi and
Nephi and their vision of the tree of life, which was indeed much more as revealed by following
the further account of such as given by Nephi. Nephi gave his account until he was told he
could not give more as part of what he was give was reserve unto John the apostle. Also Nephi in
his account began to over lap into that seen and recorded by Isaiah. It is any wonder why Nephi
had such an affinity for the words of Isaiah? The third of the record of Isaiah is again recorded
in the Book of Mormon, for 'great of the words of Isaiah' and Jesus Christ commanded thay they
be searched. And thus Isaiah may be added to the list of the vision of all things and even in
the 29 chapter of Isaiah does Isaiah prophesy as to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon as
pertaining to the vision of all things. Others through Biblical history are canidates to be
included on that listing, Adam, Enoch, Noah, perhaps Abraham and how about Moses. Besides Isaiah
might one consider Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah and others, and ancient prophet only
named in the Book of Mormon such as Zenock and Zenos. If fact it may well be considered that many of the prophets
of God have seen such as the 'vision of all' or at least such portions of it as did apply unto
them and their relative mission calling. Besides John the Revelator in the New Testiment, might
not one consider that John the Bapist had been given to see much as well, or even the apostle
Paul? In terms of our modern era, Joseph Smith would have to be included upon that list. Joseph
had often said that he had received much that he had not further revealed and certainly that
vision of D&C 76 would qualify as having come direcly out of the vision of all as well. All and
all it is likely that we have already been presented before us a large portion of that vision
of all in the very scriptures of the prophets of God. And to those who only adhere to the Bible
might I invite them and ask, what do they have against receiveing more? Now can we not presume
that by our own study and search of them, that we may begin to lay out our own foundational base
of the 'vision of all things' as give by God to man? More of this later.
They are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to
the portion of is word which he doth grant unto the children of men. Now these prophets
of God who have receive such as this 'vision of all' or portions thereof, are by God placed
under a strict commandment to reveal no more than what God allows. Someone might attempt to
catch me out, that I am revealing too much. I suppose that ought to flatter me, but I've not
been given any such 'vision' of which I might talk and reveal other than that which is already
had to be obtained from a study of the scriptures by the accompanying spirit of revelation. And
that is open unto all men. I think that Nephi saw his such opportunity to include material
directly from Isaiah that Nephi knew was from that same vision of all that he had seem, for out
of the plates of brass was Nephi able to literally copy chapter upon chapter of it. Nephi had
no such opportunity to reveal the end of times portion of the vision, as that was reverved unto
John the revelator and John had not written that yet for Nephi to copy. And even though Nephi had
already seen it, Nephi would have been under God's command not to reveal it. When Mosiah was
allowed to translated it, he was told he was not yet to reveal it. And that was also true of
Moroni.
He doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which
they give unto him. Now just what is stopping man from having such as the mysteries of
God, the vision of all, as it were? Is God withholding them from us? How many have read his
scriptures which he has given to us? Some say, 'We have read them.' But reading them once,
twice or even three times enough? NO. The are to be studied, not only read, re-read and re-read
again. They are to be 'studied' and 'searched' with dilligence, line upon line, percept upon
precept (2 Nephi 28:30). Now might one consider what God expects of us? If we do not receive,
accept, read and study that which God has already given us, will he be prepared to give us more?
He that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word.
Man is actually in control of that which God does give unto him. It a man's heart is hardened
against the Lord, the Lord with give him less. He that will not harden his heart, to him
is given the greater portion of the word. Now there are various example to be use here
but under this circumstance there is a prime one. Men have receive the Bible record of God and
his anointed son Jesus Christ. What have they done with it? And when God attempts to give them
'MORE' in bring forth the Book of Mormon, what has man done in response to that. Many have hardened
their hearts against the concept of 'receiving MORE of the word of God' in this respect, have
they not? Many refuse to even look at it, read it or pray to God about it. Why should God give
them MORE when they so readily reject even that which he has given them? And there is a terminal
eventuality when one hardens their hearts against the word of God.
They that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word
until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil,
and lead by his will down to destruction. One cannot just expect to ignore the word of
God. And as one withdraws themself from the things of God, so also God withdraws himself from
them. The case of the atheist experience. They have 'hardened' themselves against God. Many will
not even attempt to believe in God as per any possibility that there is indeed God. Their minds
and hearts have been totally closed to the very concept of God. Many as such from the false pride
they have as to their own degree of knowledge, which they deem themselve paramount in. And they
have lost all softness of heart and openness of mind to even allow even an experiment upon the
matter as such as set out by Alma in Alma chapter 32. God, our Lord stands with his arms open
with the invitation to come unto him. And they that do will find him, and he will reveal himself
unto them if they will seek him in his word that he has given them. But as in that portion of
the vision of all as seen relative to the tree of life, many do not come unto Christ because
of the pride of the world and those who do mock men of faith who come unto, find and believe
in God, in God's Son Jesus Christ who is the same as Jehovah, the our very ministering God of
this temporal creation.
* So how is it that the Book of Mormon can be referenced by the name or title of the 'VISION OF
ALL?' Beside the golden plates merely containing a sealed portion wherein is contained the very
VISION OF ALL received by Mahonri Moriancumr, the brother of Jared, the Book of Mormon further
teaches man of the concept of the VISION OF ALL and by its words and example it teachs how it
stands to man as a 'key' to obtaining that VISION OF ALL. How may man obtain that vision of all?
At this point in time the sealed record itself is still sealed. But many prophets have also
received that vision of all or parts thereof, and have written that which they have received
as they were commanded of God to do. By using this key as on this page and as further as so
set out in Part V of this series, a person, though not otherwise learned may begin to build
within their own minds a vision of all of their own which brings them unto the tree of life,
which is Christ. In short, the scriptures that we have as a whole is some what a fragmented
picture of the VISION OF ALL that we may begin to piece together by our own spiritually
led study.
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Alma 12:9 (7-11)
~ PART III - Visionary Men ~ | ~ PART V - A Key to the Scriptures ~
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