The Covenant Path Leads to Power
The Covenant Path Leads to Power
What does President Nelson mean by overcoming the world and finding rest? What does he mean when he says that part of the Gathering of Israel is to prepare a people worthy to dwell with Christ? And when he says, “Do the spiritual work to find out for yourselves (gain a testimony), and please do it now. Time is running out.”
My interpretation is that we are very near the start of the tribulations that will precede the Second Coming. Revelations 7 says that angels are ready to pour vials of wrath upon the Earth. I believe this represents the tribulations that are meant to humble us. Like Moses in Egypt many plagues afflicted the Egyptians. If Pharaoh had listened and repented and let the Israelites free, the Egyptians would have been spared further afflictions. Only the last plague resulted in the loss of life. Likewise these trials are meant to humble us. We don’t want to continue to refuse to turn to God because of our stubbornness.
However Revelation 7:3 gives us something that has to happen first, “Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”
Quote from the New Testament study manual on what this means:
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the sealing of the faithful in their foreheads “signifies sealing the blessing upon their heads, meaning the everlasting covenant, thereby making their calling and election sure”
Also D&C 77:11
Q. What are we to understand by sealing the one hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel—twelve thousand out of every tribe?
A. We are to understand that those who are sealed are high priests, ordained unto the holy order of God, to administer the everlasting gospel; for they are they who are ordained out of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the angels to whom is given power over the nations of the earth, to bring as many as will come to the church of the Firstborn.
We read in Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 14:
30 For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;
31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.
32 And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.
33 And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace.
34 And his people wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world;
This describes the type of faith that we know is possible, but that we don’t really believe can apply to us. Maybe because we have tried to have that type of faith and have failed. But I do believe that it is yet to return. (That is one reason I so loved studying the Old Testament this year.) Think and study about Nephi that was given the sealing power shortly before Christ’s first coming. President Nelson is teaching us that this power is tied to our covenants. I think it is also tied to our asking, knocking and seeking. The scriptures say that if we have faith as a mustard seed we can move mountains. As a youth, I used to think that meant I should be able to move mountains with the faith that I had then. Now I believe that when our seed has grown and our mustard plant of faith is fully mature through our covenants that we will obtain that kind of power.
Consider President Nelson teaching us about finding rest by overcoming the world.
Then contemplate and pray about D&C 84
21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.
23 Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;
24 But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath , for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.
25 Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also;
This defines the “rest of God” as the fulness of His glory that is only possible through the covenants in the house of the Lord. These blessings are available to both men and women who make and keep covenants. The people in the days of Moses rejected these higher blessings and preferred Moses be their connection to God. However President Nelson has taught us repeatedly that we need to seek to be taught directly by the Lord and learn to hear Him.
He has given us a lot of direction on this path, but also instructs, “You won’t find this process spelled out in any manual. The Holy Ghost will be your personal tutor as you seek to understand what the Lord would have you know and do.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2019/10/36nelson?lang=eng)
He also said the following in the same talk, “Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power.” Here he talks about two gifts from the endowment. The first is the power through the covenant and the second is a gift of knowledge about how to draw on that power. This implies that depending on our faithfulness and diligence we can attain to differing levels of power according to how we use the gift of knowledge from the endowment.
Anyways, 1 Nephi 21:22 says that many shall be carried upon shoulders and kings and queens shall bow down and lick up the dust off their feet. I believe that as we mature and become kings, queens, priests and priestesses that our role will be one of serving others and helping gather them to places of safety in the stakes of Zion. We know that Christ taught that those who would be the greatest should be the servants of all. The power God will give us is meant to serve others.
President Nelson begged us as follows:
I urgently plead with each one of us to live up to our privileges as bearers of the priesthood. In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord Himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others. Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity.
(emphasis/italics in original)
My friends, endure to the end does not mean to just keep going to church until you die. Seek a personal connection and relationship with Jesus Christ. I would suggest starting wherever you feel inspired, or by searching and studying the baptism of fire/spiritual rebirth in Gospel Library to evaluate whether your heart has been changed. After that there are more significant spiritual events to study that are part of the Covenant Path. I pray God aids
you and me in our effort.
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