Moses 6:1-47; 7:1-69 Ministry of Enoch; the City of Enoch
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Moses 6:1-47; 7:1-69 Ministry of Enoch; The City of Enoch Notes and Teachings Moses 6:1-23 The Patriarchal Order high priests, with the residue of his posterity who were These verses speak of Adam’s posterity down to the righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there time of Enoch. More particularly, this genealogy focuses bestowed upon them his last blessing." After receiving this on the descent of the patriarchal priesthood. Notice the last blessing, "the Lord appeared unto them" (D&C genealogical similarity found in these verses with D&C 107:42-54). 107:40-47. D&C 107:40-41 state: “The order of this Of this event, the Prophet Joseph Smith (1805-1844) priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father stated: "This is why Adam blessed his posterity; he to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of wanted to bring them into the presence of God" (Teachings the chosen seed, to whom the promises were made. This of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith (1938), p. order was instituted in the days of Adam, and came down 159). Commenting on this, President Ezra Taft Benson by lineage in the following manner:” The descent of (1899-1994) taught: "How did Adam bring his priesthood key holders or rulers from Adam to Enoch is descendants into the presence of the Lord? The answer: then given as follows: Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Adam and his descendants entered into the priesthood Mahalaleel, Jared, and Enoch. Elder Bruce R. McConkie order of God. Today we would say they went to the house (1915-1985) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said of the Lord and received their blessings." Continuing, of this time period: “In their respective days there were, of President Benson said: "If a couple are true to their course, apostate peoples who set up governments of covenants, they are entitled to the blessing of the highest their own. But those who believed the gospel and sought degree of the celestial kingdom. These covenants today salvation remained subject to the patriarchal order can only be entered into by going to the house of the Lord. revealed and established by the Eternal Patriarch. And Adam followed this order and brought his posterity into the into their immediate families the Father of Spirits sent presence of God. He is the great example to follow. When those of his primeval children who, through faith and our children obey the Lord and go to the temple to receive devotion in preexistence, had earned the right to be born their blessings and enter into the marriage covenant, they in the households of faith” (A New Witness for the Articles of enter into the same order of the priesthood that God Faith [1985], p.35) instituted in the beginning with father Adam." (“What I Hope You Will Teach Your Children about the Temple,” Ensign, Aug. 1985, Moses 6:15. The works of wickedness continue. p. 9). Moses 6:26-36. The call of Enoch As righteousness continued from the days of Adam, wickedness was increasing its strangle hold on the earth. Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) of the Quorum of “And in those days Satan had great dominion among the Twelve Apostles summarized the call of Enoch: men, and raged in their hearts; and from thenceforth came wars and bloodshed; and a man’s hand was When he was about 65 years of age, Enoch against his own brother, in administering death, because journeyed among men, and the Spirit of God descended of secret works, seeking for power” (Moses 6:15). out of heaven and abode upon him. A voice from heaven told him to prophesy and call others to Moses 6:17. Enos and the first land of promise. repentance, for the Lord was angry with the people, saying that "their hearts have waxed hard, and their In this verse, the first time a “land of promise” is ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar mentioned in the scriptures. The story in which this is off." The people had gone astray, had denied the Lord, mentioned is brief and lacks detail. But it appears that as had foresworn themselves by their oaths, had sought wickedness expanded, the righteous people in the days their own counsel in the dark, had devised murder, and of the Patriarch Enos, Adam’s grandson, fled or migrated had not kept commandments. to “a land of promise” no doubt for protection. This land Enoch humbly asked why he had found favor, for he was called Cainan”after [Enos’s] son” (Moses 6:17). In described himself as "but a lad," as "slow of speech," scriptural history, this is the first incident of the Lord’s and "all the people hate me." The Lord told him to go people being led to a land of promise. It was in this land and do as commanded, and "no man shall pierce thee." that Enoch was born and taught by his father “in all the He was told to "open thy mouth and it shall be filled." He ways of God” (Moses 6:41). was told to say to his people, "Choose ye this day to serve the Lord God." He was promised that mountains A Sacred Meeting at Adam-ondi-Ahman would flee before him and rivers would turn from their courses. As wickedness increased among the inhabitants of the A saying subsequently went abroad in the land: "A earth, a sacred meeting was held in the days of Enoch. seer hath the Lord raised up unto his people." In his Though not mentioned in the Book of Moses, it seems testifying and prophesying Enoch was regarded by appropriate to briefly discuss this meeting. We learn of many as "a strange thing" and "a wild man," and at first it in D&C 107 where we are told: "Three years previous to "all men were offended because of him." (Of One Heart the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, [1975], p.63) Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all Moses 6:35-36. A Seer Moses 7:18-19. Zion–The City of Enoch Elder John A. Widstoe (1872-1952) of the Quorum of The following are teachings under various headings the Twelve Apostles taught that a “A seer is one who regarding the City of Enoch. sees with spiritual eyes. He perceives the meaning of that which seems obscure to others; therefore he is an Zion Through the Law of Consecration interpreter and clarifier of eternal truth. He foresees the future from the past and the present. This he does by the Enoch gathered his followers and established a city power of the Lord operating through him directly, or “called the City of Holiness, even ZION.” The account we indirectly with the aid of divine instruments such as the are reading states: “the Lord called his people ZION, Urim and Thummim. In short, he is one who sees, who because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt walks in the Lord's light with open eyes ” (Evidences and in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” Reconciliations [1960], p.258). (Moses 7:18-19). The Lord declared: “And Zion cannot be built up unless Moses 6:37-7:69. The ministry of Enoch it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself” (D&C 105:5). Enoch went forth preaching and teaching the gospel. Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve High Nibley, Professor of Religion and Ancient Studies at Apostles stated that “The law of the celestial kingdom is, Brigham Young University summed up his ministry in of course, the gospel law and covenants, which include these words: “Enoch was received by the public first with our constant remembrance of the Savior and our pledge curiosity and surprise, then with resentment, then with of obedience, sacrifice, consecration, and fidelity” (“Come fear, and finally with a measure of acceptance that was to Zion,” Ensign, Nov 2008, 37–40). Of these, the law of to produce a church and the city of Enoch” (“A Strange Thing consecration is fundamental. Bishop Keith B. McMullin of in the Land: The Return of the Book of Enoch, Part 10,” Ensign, Mar. the Presiding Bishopric stated, “The covenant of 1977, 87–88). consecration is central to this law...This covenant The Book of Moses does not give a full account of embraces the ‘giving of one's time, talents, and means to Enoch’s ministry. What is written can be divided into four care for those in need-whether spiritually or sections. The first section focuses on a doctrinal speech temporally-and in building the Lord's kingdom.’ ” (Come to in which (1) he describes how he knows what he is Zion! Come to Zion!, Ensign, November 2002, p.94). Elder Bruce teaching is true (Moses 6:37-47), and (2) gives important R. McConkie explained that “The law of consecration is information (which was considered in a previous lesson) that we consecrate our time, our talents, and our money about the gospel being taught to Adam (Moses 6:47-7:1). and property to the cause of the Church: such are to be The next section briefly describes further activities in available to the extent they are needed to further the his ministry. First, he climbed a mountain where “he Lord’s interests on earth” (“Obedience, Consecration, and stood before [God’s] face” and was shown a vision of Sacrifice,” Ensign, May 1975, 50).