Elias

[Tyler90AZ]

11After this avision closed, the heavens were again bopened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the fnorth.

12After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed.

13After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said:

14Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—

15To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse—

16Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.

I was reading about the Temple and came across Elias. President Packer in so many words stated that it is just some prophet who lived during Abraham's time. That influenced me to try to figure out who Elias is.

When Moses and Elijah appear it is the doctrine of Elias(forerunner). Moses is the forerunner to Judaism, thus giving Joseph Smith the keys to Israel. Elijah is the forerunner to work for the dead, thus giving Joseph Smith keys to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers. The natural assumption is the third must follow that pattern.

So who is Elias? The obvious answer is who was the forerunner the Gospel of Abraham. Noah died two to 78 years before Abraham. Noah opened up the way or was the forerunner for the Gospel of Abraham. All three opened up the doors originally and once again opened up the doors to Joseph Smith.

What is everyone's opinion on who Elias is?

[pam]

Isn't Elias the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name Elijah?

[Tyler90AZ]

That is true, but it is clearly two distinct people being referred to in D&C 110, Elijah and Elias.

[Backroads]

I'm waiting for explanations to this double act here. Interesting.

[pam]

This from lds.org

Third, a prophet by the name of Elias, along with Moses and Elijah, appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple on 3 April 1836. We know very little about this prophet except that he apparently lived in the days of Abraham and committed the “dispensation of the gospel of Abraham” to the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery (D&C 110:12). The power and commission Elias restored was that of celestial marriage and pertains to the doctrine of eternal increase (see Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 508; and The Mortal Messiah [1979], 1:56–57).

[Tyler90AZ]

I didn't come up with the theory about Noah, here is what Elder McConkie said:

There is no valid reason for confusion as to the identity and mission of Elias. There was a man named Elias who came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on April 3, 1836, in the Kirtland Temple to restore "the gospel of Abraham." (D&C 110:12.) Whether he was Abraham himself or someone else from his dispensation, we do not know. Elias is one of the names of Gabriel who is Noah, and it was in this capacity that Gabriel visited Zacharias the father of John the Baptist. (D&C 27:6-7.) Elias is the Greek form of the Hebrew Elijah, and in this sense has reference to the prophet from Tishbe. Elias is also the title or name of a forerunner who goes before to prepare the way for someone who is greater; this is the doctrine of Elias, and in this sense John the Baptist was both Elias and an Elias. John came in the way that Gabriel (who is Elias) promised, that is, "in the spirit and power of Elias, . . . to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:17.)… But, as we have seen, there is also an Elias of the Restoration, meaning that there is also a doctrine of Elias that pertains not to preparation alone, but to restoration. Christ was Elias in his day because he restored the gospel for those then living. In our revelations the Lord says that Gabriel (Noah) is the "Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days." (D&C 27:6.) The one who holds the keys is the one who directs the work; keys are the right of presidency. Thus Gabriel, who stands next to Michael (Adam) in the heavenly hierarchy, has a great directing and supervising work in connection with the restoration of all things.

In addition, this is something somebody said I could see

Lemming(random saint):

Consider the possibility that none of the three explicitly identified themselves. The third came the closest, by invoking the prophecy of Malachi concerning Elijah. Joseph might have assumed that the two who appeared to Jesus at the transfiguration would be repeating their mission in Kirtland. That means Moses was one of them, and Joseph might have linked him more closely with the gathering of Israel than to the gospel of Abraham. That leaves “Elias.”

[Casper]

I don’t know who the Elias was that came before Abraham, however I think the Elias that came to Joseph and Oliver was John the revelator. This idea comes from D&C 77:9,14 `

9 Q. What are we to understand by the angel ascending from the east, Revelation 7th chapter and 2nd verse?

A. We are to understand that the angel ascending from the east is he to whom is given the seal of the living God over the twelve tribes of Israel; wherefore, he crieth unto the four angels having the everlasting gospel, saying: Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And, if you will receive it, this is Elias which was to come to gather together the tribes of Israel and restore all things.

14 Q. What are we to understand by the little book which was eaten by John, as mentioned in the 10th chapter of Revelation?

A. We are to understand that it was a mission, and an ordinance, for him to gather the tribes of Israel; behold, this is Elias, who, as it is written, must come and restore all things.

I think it is John that came back to the temple as part of his mission of restoring all things.