| 409 other; after it has become thus purified, and made celestial. It was to obtain an inheritance of this kind, that all the prophets, apostles and ancient worthies, suffered and endured so patiently, all that they had to pass through. They had found out the way to come to God; the curtain of futurity was withdrawn from before their vision, and having a knowledge of the designs and purposes of God in regard to the earth, 'they endured as seeing him who is invisible,, they 'were tempted tried, and sawn asunder;' They wandered about in sheep skins, and in goat skins; they dwelt in deserts and in dens, and in the caves of the earth, for they had respect unto the recompense of reward; they looked for a city which hath foundation, whose builder and maker is God,' Well hath Paul said 'they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country, * * wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city.' what is this city? a heavenly one; but it will come to this earth when the earth is prepared to receive it; Hence John says, Rev. XXI:1-5; 'And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, behold, I make all things new.-and he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.'
This then was the thing that the ancient saints had in view; it was to obtain this glory that they sought; it was for this they suffered and endured. Eternal life with them, was the only thing desirable; it was for this they lived; for this they died. And what to men with minds unenlightened, would be folly and nonsense; to them was the greatest height of wisdom, even the teachings of Jehovah, pertaining to their eternal welfare. And as man's everlasting tabernacle was designed to be on this earth; by faith they sought, and by faith they obtained promises.' Abraham obtained a promise of the land of Canaan for himself and his posterity. The land of the Gentiles was alloted [allotted] to their several owners. Joseph had a promise of a land at the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills. Jared, at the destruction of the 'Tower of Babel' had the promise of an inheritance in this land. The twelve tribes of Israel had their inheritance divided unto them by lot, and unto various heads of families, God gave similar promises. Yet we are told that though Abraham had the land of Canaan promised to him, for an everlasting inheritance, 'God gave him none inheritance in it,' (in his lifetime) 'no not so much as to set his foot.'-Yet according to the scriptures he will do and inherit it eternally.
Abraham, and many of his coadjutors were willing to abide a celestial law, and therefore obtained promises by faith through the priesthood of a celestial inheritance, when the earth should be renewed; and as celestial glory was a prize worth seeking after, and enduring that they might obtain, men of faith in ancient days made every effort to get possession of the blessings flowing therefrom-it was for this that the tabernacle and arc was made; it was for this that the temple was built; and if those people who had already the Aaronic priesthood, had received the Savior when he 'came to his temple' he might, and would have unfolded to them many great and eternal principles, pertaining to futurity, connected with the priesthood, for which the temple was originally built.
It was the policy of all those ancient men of God, and the order of their Heavenly Father, to collect the people of God into one place, for the purpose of teaching them the things of God, that they might be prepared to reign with him in a celestial glory. Thus when the earth was becoming corrupt, Enoch collected together a people who were virtuous and pure; who professed a willingness to be governed by the law of God, and as the earth was then becoming corrupt, and the children of men departing from God, and his ordinances, Enoch was selected as a faithful man of God, to whom was committed the priesthood, that he might assemble together God's chosen people and save them from the contaminating influence of the world, and through the intercourse that he had with the Almighty, and the teaching of heaven, lead the people on the paths of righteousness, teach them a celestial law, and prepare them for a celestial inheritance. Thus Enoch built up Zion in his day, and as he 'walked with God,' he of course received teaching, not only pertaining to himself; but also pertaining to those chosen ones, over which God had given him the oversight: he did receive revelations and some of those revelations have been revealed to us, and after the pure in heart thus assembled, were prepared by upwards of one
(page 409) |
