Elias in the Temple


andypg
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While reading President Packer's The Holy Temple, he discusses Elijah and that the New Testament refers to Elijah as Elias, the Greek. Having read newer Bible translations my whole life (NRSV-CE, RSV-CE, NAB) the New Testament uses Elijah, not Elias. Though somehow I knew the whole Elijah=Elias thing already (possibly from reading the Douay-Rheims?)

 

Anyways, all this I have no problem with. President Packer than states that Elias became a term for a forerunner, one who comes before. So for example, John the Baptist is an Elias. OK, so far so goo. No complaints, I'm following along and will agree 100%.

 

Then comes the part where I get confused because Latter-day Saint history regarding temples is somewhat new to me. Three ancient prophets came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple, Moses, Elias, and Elijah. If Elijah is Elias, why did he visit Joseph and Oliver twice? Why didn't they just identify him under the same name? If it was another prophet, why not name that prophet instead of just using the title of forerunner?

 

A skeptic could look at this and say that Joseph did not know that Elias was Greek for Elijah so while making up the story made it two people and providing a "smoking gun." I believe in the prophetic revelations of Joseph Smith, I just wonder who this Elias was in the Kirtland Temple.

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The Elias that appeared in the Kirtland Temple was Gabriel (who we know was Noah in mortality).  A careful reading of D&C 27 reveals this tidbit:

 

6 And also with 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;

7 And also John the son of Zacharias, which Zacharias he(Elias) visited and gave promise that he should have a son, and his name should be John, and he should be filled with the spirit of Elias... (D&C 27:6-7)

 

This passage mentions two Eliases.  The first one, In verse 6, held the keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things. That same Elias appeared to  Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist in the Jewish temple to tell him he would have a son and that he would name him John.

 

Luke 1:19 tells us that this was the angel Gabriel, who Joseph Smith taught was the prophet Noah in mortality.

 

See the connection?  The prophet Noah was the forerunner before the baptism of the earth by water.  He appeared to the father of the forerunner of the Messiah's coming to announce the Baptist's mission.  He passed on the duty of the office of Elias to John the Baptist.  When the restoration of all things came to pass, he appeared in the Kirtland Temple.  Joseph Smith is the forerunner of the earth's baptism by fire.  Joseph Smith had to receive Noah's keys to preside over this dispensation.

 

In the appearance in the Kirtland Temple, Elias (Noah/Gabriel) committed the "the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed" (D&C 110:12).  This makes perfect sense because the keys of priesthood had to come from Noah, down to Shem, to Abraham.  In "Lectures on Faith," Joseph Smith taught that Shem was Melchizedek.  It was a title given to him.  So the keys of the previous dispensation came to Abraham through Shem, who ordained Abraham to the priesthood.

 

Galatians 3:8 tells us that the gospel was preached to Abraham.  That's how it came down to him, through the lineage of Elias (Noah/Gabriel).  

 

So, both Elias AND Elijah appeared in the Kirtland Temple.  

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