Revelation from Prophets

From, “The Jaredites: A Case Study in Following the Brethren“, Douglas Brinley says, “A distinguishing feature of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the principle of continuous revelation: God speaks to His children through prophet-servants today as well as in former times (see Amos 3:7). The principle of revelation separates Latter-day Saints from all other religions, for our claim of administering the true gospel is based on this premise: In 1820 God called a young man to the prophetic office and subsequently sent eight angels to restore the gospel and priesthood keys that enable men and women to qualify for exaltation. Moroni restored the gospel in the form of a set of plates that contain the everlasting gospel. John the Baptist; Peter, James, and John; Moses, Elias, and Elijah restored priesthood keys for the salvation and exaltation of God’s children. President John Taylor explained that true religion has a heavenly connection:

“A good many people, and those professing Christians, will sneer at the idea of present revelation. Whoever heard of true religion without communication with God? To me the thing is the most absurd thing that the human mind could conceive of. I do not wonder, when the people generally reject the principle of present revelation, that skepticism and infidelity prevail to such an alarming extent. I do not wonder that so many men treat religion with contempt, and regard it as something not worth the attention of intelligent beings, for without revelation religion is a mockery and a farce. If I can not have a religion that will lead me to God, and place me in rapport with him, and unfold to my mind the principles of immortality and eternal life, I want nothing to do with it.” John Taylor, in Journal of Discourses (London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot, 1854–86), 6:371

I believe it is essential for those who guide the Church at all times in history, from Adam until today, have had this Highest Priesthood and the Jaredites would likely have it as well.

Understanding Priesthood

“Now this same Priesthood, which was in the beginning, shall be in the end of the world also.” Moses 6:7

As it says Joseph may have translated a portion of the Kinderhook Plates printed again in the Times and Seasons, “I have translated a portion of them, and find they contain the history of the person with whom they were found. He was a descendant of Ham, through the loins of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and that he received his kingdom from the ruler of heaven and earth.” (Then followed a reprint of material from the Times and Seasons article.) Deseret News Sept 3, 1856

So Pharaoh, king of Egypt apparently received his Kingdom, but we know from the scriptures that Ham’s offspring could not hold the Priesthood as we read here:

Abraham About Priesthood

You will learn more as you contemplate the scripture about Ham and the Priesthood in Abraham 1:22-27 comparing scripture to the possible translation from Joseph Smith.

“Now this king of Egypt was a descendant from the loins of Ham, and was a partaker of the blood of the Canaanites by birth.

From this descent sprang all the Egyptians, and thus the blood of the Canaanites was preserved in the land.

The land of Egypt being first discovered by a woman, who was the daughter of Ham, and the daughter of Egyptus, which in the Chaldean signifies Egypt, which signifies that which is forbidden;

When this woman discovered the land it was under water, who afterward settled her sons in it; and thus, from Ham, sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land.

Now the first government of Egypt was established by Pharaoh, the eldest son of Egyptus, the daughter of Ham, and it was after the manner of the government of Ham, which was patriarchal.

Pharaoh, being a righteous man, established his kingdom and judged his people wisely and justly all his days, seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first generations, in the days of the first patriarchal reign, even in the reign of Adam, and also of Noah, his father, who blessed him with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings of wisdom, but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood.

Now, Pharaoh being of that lineage by which he could not have the right of Priesthood, notwithstanding the Pharaohs would fain claim it from Noah, through Ham, therefore my father was led away by their idolatry;” Abraham 1:21-27

It seems in this scripture that Noah gave his three sons a Patriarchal Priesthood, which was simply a blessing all worthy fathers receive simply as being a father. In other words each worthy fathers have the keys to receive personal revelation and to guide their families in righteousness. However the Ordination of the Higher Priesthood could only be given by the laying on of hands from one who has that Higher Priesthood, called the Melchizedek Priesthood. See What is the Difference Between Patriarchal and Melchizedek Priesthood?

Did the Brother of Jared Hold the Priesthood?

I share with you that I believe the Jaredites likely landed near Seattle Washington. I also  believe the Jaredites who were blessed with keeping the Adamic Language likely had the Priesthood. Bruce R. McConkie said, “These promises of God to the Jaredites contain the essential elements of the everlasting covenant detailed later to Father Abraham and to every covenant people. These elements include priesthood, posterity, and a land of inheritance” Bruce McConkie, A New Witness 505

Yes! The Jaredites retained the Adamic Language, which relates to the Priesthood. Ether was their last Prophet and Mahonri Moriancumer would have the Priesthood.

Why Did Jared Ask His Brother to Pray Instead of Praying Himself?

Jared and his brother lived at the time of the tower of Babel in the Old World. They led a group of seemingly righteous people away from the tower and across the sea to the American continent, establishing what we know as the Jaredite civilization. It seems natural that many people from all three sons of Noah, Ham, Shem, and Japeth would be amongst those people. From the beginning of their story, we hear about Jared repeatedly asking his brother (Mahonri Moriancumer which Joseph Smith said was his name from a blessing Joseph gave), to petition the Lord on his behalf:

“Cry unto the Lord, that he will not confound us that we may not understand our words” (Ether 1:34).

“Cry again unto the Lord, and it may be that he will turn away his anger from them who are our friends, that he confound not their language” (Ether 1:36).

“Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto him whither we shall go” (Ether 1:38).

Jared was apparently the first person to identify problems among the Jaredites and sought a solution. He may have had a sense of how the prayers were likely to be answered. (“Who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth?” he asked.) His brother was “highly favored of the Lord,” which suggests that Jared thought they had a better chance of receiving a favorable response if his brother was the one doing the asking. I believe it was likely that Mahonri was the Prophet who had the Highest Order of the Priesthood, so Mahonri was entitled to receive revelation for his people. Jared could receive personal revelation for his family, but not for the entire church of the Jaredites.

It seems The brother of Jared (Mahonri) approached the Lord in an attitude much faith and humility, as he was the Priesthood leader who made requests on behalf of the Church. (“Touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger…that they may shine forth in darkness.” “Show thyself unto me.”) He was uncommonly fearless and full of Faith as Mahonri was not held back from seeing the entire Sprit personage of our Savior in the Pre-Existence.

I am not saying that people have to hold the priesthood in order to see the Savior, as we know, Joseph Smith saw the Father and Son before he had received the priesthood as well. It makes sense that Mahonri was the Priesthood Leader of the Jaredites.

Our Own Revelation

The Lord told Joseph Smith in about 1831 that some people are blessed to know that Jesus is the Christ, while others are simply blessed “to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful” (D&C 46:14). But how will some receive eternal life? By understanding God for themselves. (See John 17:3.) Moses said, “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” (Numbers 11:29) Jeremiah said there would be a time when no one would challenge other people to know the God, “for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them” (Jeremiah 31:34). President Thomas S. Monson said, “It is essential for you to have your own testimony…, for the testimonies of others will carry you only so far” (“The Power of the Book of Mormon,” April 2017). And our Prophet Russell M. Nelson said, “I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that ‘if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge’” (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” General Conference, April 2018).

In this way it makes sense that Jared likely had his own personal revelations on many matters, but only Mahonri had the “keys” to the priesthood to receive revelation for all people of the church.

The Language of Adam Connected to the Priesthood  and all Prophets have the Melchizedek Priesthood

“The book of Moses described the language of Adam as “pure and undefiled”. It is intimately connected with the “Priesthood, which was in the beginning, [and] shall be in the end of the world also.” MOSES 6:5 Thomas R. Valletta, “Jared and His Brother,” in Fourth Nephi, From Zion to Destruction, ed. Monte S. Nyman and Charles Tate Jr. (BYU Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center

“The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “All the prophets had Melchizedek priesthood.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 181) As D&C 84:17 explains, Melchizedek priesthood is the presiding authority which “continueth in the church of God in all generations.” There can be no church organization or full administration without it. This system held Moses through Malachi. Interestingly, Lehi held Melchizedek priesthood and keys sufficient to lead his family to a promised land with fully functioning temples and no Aaronic or preparatory priesthood. That he, Jeremiah, and Ezekial were quorum associated seems likely.” Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood Operation From Moses to Malachi By Vivian McConkie Adams · July 5, 2022

When Joseph Smith said above, “All the prophets had Melchizedek priesthood”, wouldn’t that include Mahonri Moriancumer? I think it would. How could the Jaredites be a blessed people on the same land of America as Lehi was on, without having the Higher Priesthood to guide his people? We know the last survivors at Ramah were Coriantumr and the Prophet Ether. Ether may have even remained on the earth at that time to help the Nephites, who knows?

Moroni recorded this last quote about the 24 Jaredite Plates. “Now the last words which are written by Ether are these: Whether the Lord will that I be translated, or that I suffer the will of the Lord in the flesh, it mattereth not, if it so be that I am saved in the kingdom of God. Amen.” Ether 15:34

We also know that Coriantumr was found by the Nephites and Mulekites as we read here: “And Coriantumr was discovered by the people of Zarahemla; and he dwelt with them for the space of nine moons.” Omni 1:21

So it is possible that either Coriantumr or Ether had the Priesthood during the time of the Nephites, but it would also make sense that Mosiah in Zarahemla had the Keys for that Priesthood among the Nephite Church.

About the Name Mahonri Moriancumer

“In an 1835 letter Oliver Cowdery parenthetically gives the name of the brother of Jared as “Moriancumer,” which appears in the Book of Ether in the Book of Mormon only as a place name. A later account describes an 1834 statement by Joseph Smith in which he said that the brother of Jared’s name had been revealed to him as “Mahonri Moriancumer”:

While residing in Kirtland Elder Reynolds Cahoon had a son born to him. One day when President Joseph Smith was passing his door he called the Prophet in and asked him to bless and name the baby. Joseph did so and gave the boy the name of Mahonri Moriancumer. When he had finished the blessing he laid the child on the bed, and turning to Elder Cahoon he said, the name I have given your son is the name of the Brother of Jared; the Lord has just shown [or revealed] it to me. Elder William F. Cahoon, who was standing near, heard the Prophet make this statement to his father; and this was the first time the name of the brother of Jared was known in the Church in this dispensation.” Wikipedia

Where did the Jaredites Land?

In a video I did online here: bookofmormonevidence.org/jaredites, I will share with you my details of why I believe the Jaredites Landed near Seattle and why I believe the Jaredites vey likely had the Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God which today we call the Melchizedek Priesthood.