Correlations of Moses and Joseph Smith

I'm studying the old testament and had an inspirational moment seeing Moses in my mind eye writing the book of Genesis.

("Moses with the Ten Commandments" by Philippe de Champaigne)

I realized that the book of Genesis to Israel (a new book of an ancient people that doesn't exist anymore written by Moses, their prophet who talked with God and translated or wrote the book through the urim and thummim revealing ancient Covenants and blessings to follow) is the equivalent of the book of Mormon to us! 

(https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/content/library/book-of-commandments-1833?lang=eng)

The books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, known as 'The Torah', or in English, 'The Law', to Israel and written by Moses through his scribes are the equivalent to the 'Book of Commandments' or as we have it today, 'The Doctrine and Covenants'. 

And the rest of the books in the old testament are the equivalent of ensigns and conference talks. The people of Moses must have really loved that book of Genesis. It was the keystone of their church for it contained the promises of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the works of Adam and Eve and Enoch and others.

(Found on eBay)

There may have been those in Israel during or after Moses that disbelieved Genesis was true or that Moses used the urim and thummim to write it. Time tends to allow for disbelief when ones experiences don't allow for the possibility of such miraculous works as Moses did. It may have been believed by dissenters that the book of Genesis was plagiarized from other works or that Moses used what he learned from Egypt, the Hebrews, the Midianites,  and other cultures he visited to make it all up. Today, Christianity as a whole doesn't question it because it's so old. As though time makes things true. Whatever time limitations it takes for doubt to turn to truth, for those who seek to know God, it doesn't take more than a lifetime to learn the truth. In my experience, it took less than a year.

The truth is, the people of ancient Israel and the people of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints today have the same concerns, issues, doctrinal questions, and possible excuses to prophets and divine teachings. Finding this answer is an individual thing. 

Judas Iscariot doubted Christ but decided he was wrong after Christ's death and killed himself. Have you imagined the reunion they might have had when Christ, having a few days in the spirit world, might have visited Judas and healed his heart. 

Thomas doubted and many others have as well. It's not unanswered questions or new knowledge or a new history that promote doubt. I know this because I have spent my life searching questions and new perspectives from other religions, mainly anti-Mormons. I have discovered things that have shaken me. When I do, I pray and study. I have always gained answers.

I have found it's distance from the hand of God that creates darkness or a lack of answers. This creates doubt. Judas Iscariot was close to the Savior's miracles and teachings but didn't decide Christ was the Son of God until after he turned Him over. What made him blind to the obvious? What made him realize he made a mistake?

We are His hands. If we act in faith doing what God inspires us to do, we will always have evidence and testimony that God is real, hell is real, God loves us, angels are all over, family is forever, and we can talk to God. If we are not inspired or feel we have trouble being inspired, then we have prophets, ministers, friends, and family that we can lean on for instruction to do God's will. If we follow, we end up with a personal relationship and a knowledge unbreakable of the goodness and fierceness of God. Or we can doubt like Judas.

("The Last Supper" by Carl Bloch late 19th century)

Maybe Judas was more concerned about his current understanding of scripture to yield to the Spirit of Truth that this person leading them was the Son of God. Do we sometimes use scripture or older revelation against current revelation to question the words of Christ? In Judas' behalf, Christ did do a lot of things that broke pharisaical law. Do we have cultural beliefs and teachings that contradict or make correct revelation uneasy or less exciting? Possibly he cared more about the peer pressure of the church and the world than he did about current revelation. Maybe living in caves and hiding from the law and church didn't seem like something the Son of God would do. Do we picture the words of Christ coming from sources God has always used? Even John came out from the wilderness. Judas was surrounded by spiritual superstars but saw their status, clothes, and how the world treated them and decided this was not how he envisioned heavens work.

It looks like the God of the old testament is different than the God we are taught about today. He is not. If it was a different character of God, how can we trust our God today if tomorrow He's going to be different? This can be scary and awesome and exciting at the same time depending on what you are reading from the old testament. But remember, those who knew Him best, feared him and feared disobedience as though they would be struck dead. But as they followed Him they described his words and instructions as healing and full of hope. Those that knew Him most, declared that following Christ revealed ultimate love and the mysterious of the world and heaven. 

Those who don't know him teach us that he is unfair, leaves us alone, doesn't speak to us, that he's biased and racist, and ultimately mean in allowing pain and suffering when he has the power to stop and cure it. Most conclude there isn't a god at all. These teachings have always come from those who have not obeyed Him or ever knew Him.

(https://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/sites/default/files/knowhy-img/2018/03/main/ot-joseph-moses.jpg)

The God of the old testament called Moses just like he called Joseph Smith. He brought the same fruit through Joseph as he did through Moses. Organized a church to fulfill the Covenants that were revealed, and gave to the people power to heal and bless each other. If we follow the same route as Israel and turn from this foundation of prophets, faith, and God, we also will be split up, conquered, and lose the blessing once enjoyed. We will also have to wait for a future prophet like Moses to remove those that will follow to a promised land but this will be many generations later.

It has been taught that Joseph Smith is the last dispensational prophet but there is one dispensation yet. It is the dispensation called the millennium. This is the last dispensational before Christ comes. There will be an 'Elias' that will come and prepare the family of Israel for Chris's coming. An 'Elijah' will come to declare to the world that he is coming. Both the world and the family of Israel will be sufficiently warned. Will they believe?

It hit me today as I heard it said, "boy, the God of the old testament is a different God than we are taught today." I knew He is the same. And as I had the inspirational moment described above I realized we are no different than Israel in those ancient stories. If we see a difference, we might want to find out what in our understanding is off. More than likely, we would view this old testament God as unfair, biased, racist, and ultimately mean. He is not. He is full of love and healing. There is no wound in flesh or heart or mind that cannot be healed. He brings peace. Hardship and struggle yield love when we turn to God. They yield hate when we turn from God.

I read recently the comparison of the changes made to the Doctrine and Covenants by Joseph. He printed the book of commandments (later becoming the Doctrine and Covenants) a couple times. In the different printings he changed things. They are not just grammatical or punctuation corrections. They are significant corrections. Entire paragraphs re-written or removed and some revelations doubling in size. The Melchizedek priesthood with the offices of the priesthood were added to section 20 by Joseph many years after it was first published. 

The writers of this blog began to instill doubt in Joseph as a prophet because the revelations from God had to be corrected or changed multiple times. I then prayed and asked God to show me Joseph and this work.

I wasn't shown Joseph but I was shown my personal journal. A doctrinal journal that I have kept since my mission. Has a couple thousand pages of revelations, dreams, visions, visitations, and inspirations where I have been learning the doctrines of God. When I read the first pages (the first four hundred pages really) I see so much false doctrine. Not because the spirit mislead me but because my understanding and placement of revelations in my heart and mind did not bear complete truth. 

When I received those revelations and dreams they were completely true to me. God revealed them to me. Today, I treasure the experience and I treasure the path I have taken to get to where I am today. I don't look at those early revelations and say, "God lied to me. He's unreliable." I have learned that the nugget of truth I received was always reliable and a truth. It's the context and application of it that twists truth. I'm sure I am still going to correct even what I am learning today. Joseph called this learning line upon line. Here a little and there a little. He taught us that this was the way God taught us.

Being shown my journal in answer to this prayer was eye opening for me. I realized I already understood how revelation and gospel growth works. I already knew the danger of sharing my journal because a lot of what I have written is not true but the little things learned are and they are required to learn the next things. 

Joseph didn't get a heavenly manual that set all things in a true and correct order. He got promptings, visitations with communications, and other things that he then had to incorporate into the truths he had already received. I know this. This is how I have been learning and how I know heaven works with us. The church was not established with all the truth and priesthood and Covenants to make it a celestial and perfect church. 

When I think about it, I don't think perfection and church are compatible. There is no such thing as a perfect church. Church only exists because there are people who are in darkness and need help. It's for the imperfect ran by the imperfect who are dedicated to continually repenting.

The course for conversion has not changed for thousands of years. It's the same for Adam and it is for us as it was for Judas, Thomas, Oliver Cowdery, and all our ancestors. It is a personal journey that if we neglect will yield a belief that God is not there or is mean. To those who seek Him, they find joy, healing, and a peace indescribable. He is the prince of peace, the God who created this world and rules with power that can touch any heart and free every soul from any wound.