The Sealed Book from the Mormon Plates

The Sealed Book of Moses

CHAPTER 14

The story of Moses after he left Egypt.

 

1 So I established myself as the shepherd of Jethro's flock; a priest in the land of Midian, and who became my father-in-law, through his daughter Zipporah. I discovered that the Midianites were descendants of Abraham by Keturah; wife whom he married after Sarah died, and by whom Midian was born to him1. So I took knowledge that the descendants of Abraham, through their sons Ishmael and Midian, were for a long time very similar peoples in their way of worshipping the God of our ancestors, Abraham; Isaac, and Jacob, as are the Hebrews.

(1) Genesis 25:1-6 – Version Inspired of JS

 

2 And though Abraham commanded them to go into the east, far from the house of Isaac; before he died he gave gifts to Midian, and ordained him to the high priesthood of Melchizedek; just as he did to the other sons he had with his concubines; there being among the peoples that have derived of the seed from Abraham; a covenant with God through the priesthood of his Only Begotten Son; who was to remain active in his offspring, by promise, for how much were keepers of his commandments.

 

3 It happened then, at the time when I, Moses, dwelt in a foreign land, that I received from the hands of my father-in-law Jethro, then a priest in the land of Midian, the holy priesthood of Melchizedek. — This priesthood, which from generation to generation was passed down from father to son, from the days of Abraham to his generation. Being that Jethro was a righteous descendant of Abraham and a keeper of the commandments of God among the nomadic people he led. For how much the Midianite cities, had already become corrupted and fallen into apostasy.

 

4 However, when I came to know the priesthood powers with the elders of Midian, I realized that nothing was added to me, no gift, not even a spiritual realization beyond what my mind was capable of projecting. — I realized then that it was necessary to seek knowledge directly at the source, that is, with the God of Abraham; Isaac, and Jacob, or die looking for, because getting the priesthood did not make me better than I already was.

 

5 Many times during the day and sometimes at night, I would retreat in prayer in search of this God who did not even have a name, for from the days of my childhood when I began to hear about Him, I learned that it was not possible for the tongue of man to pronounce the name of God. — Then to whom should I pray? How to call someone whose name can not be pronounced?

 

6 It was then, in the course of these days of trouble, that the Lord God appeared to me, Moses, for he led the flock to the western side of the wilderness, at the foot of Mount Horeb, when I heard a loud noise, like the sound of a thunderclap, as soon as I turned to see where the sound came from, I saw a light cross the sky, but it was not a fallen star, for, behold, she walked in a straight line and without speed.

 

7 As she landed about me, a soft light descended from the sky, while that strong light who stood above me, was slowly disappearing. Suddenly, the light that came down, the presence of the Lord, remained in the rays of light, as if it were burning the bush that was in front of me, doing separation between me and the Lord. — I perceived as if a fire were enveloping the bush, but, behold, its leaves and branches did not burn as I stared at this event.

 

8 Then I began to turn and approach of the bush in front of me, to see what the phenomenon was of the cause of that supernatural event before my eyes, it was then that a voice came out of the middle of the burning bush, and calling me by name, twice consecutively, ordered me that I not come near to inspect the place, but even the shoes of my feet were to be left behind, claiming that the ground on which I was treading was sacred.

 

9 And as soon as he told me these words, he commanded me again, that I should take off the sandals and kneel before the burning bush, because the presence of God was before me.

 

10 And God spake unto me, saying: Behold, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, your forefathers; and immediately I was filled with fear and trembling in the all of my being, and I cast my face to the ground; for I was afraid to look upon the face of God, and to die, as the elders of Midian related unto me, that no man could see God and still live.

 

11 And God said: Obviously I have seen the affliction of my people in the land of Egypt, and I heard their cry because of the oppression of those who force them to work, for I know their pains, and for this reason I am coming down to deliver my people of the oppressive hand of Pharaoh and lead them to a good and spacious land; a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanites and of Hittites, and of Amorites, and of Perizzites, and of Hivites, and of Jebusites. These are those tribes who have been infected in your progeny by Anakiel and his rebellious angels, before they were all thrown into prison, when they made a pact with Satan on Mount Hermon, just after the waters of the Flood to dry.

 

12 For this reason, I will exterminate the seed of the tribes that dwell in the land of your inheritance; and behold, thy people Moses, shall return to mount Zion, which is under the dominion of the Amorites, who were installed at the command of Satan, when they arrived in this land, and found the pillar of the city of Enoch, which remained after the floods.

 

13 In view thereof, I will send you to Pharaoh, for the cry of my people has come to Me, and I have seen the oppression which the Egyptians oppress my people Israel. — Therefore I am sending thee before the face of Pharaoh, that you may deliver my people out of the bondage of Egypt.

 

14 I asked the Lord, what would I say to the children of Israel, if they asked me, who sent to free them, and what would I say if they asked me his name?

 

15 Then God answered me, saying: I AM THAT I AM. And this is what you should say to the children of Israel, I AM sent me to you.

 

16 For I make known to you my name, which I did not reveal to Abraham; Isaac and Jacob1. You therefore have knowledge that I AM the existence beyond any reason or cause; I AM the One who fills all things; who dwells in light inaccessible to men in
the flesh, whom no man has seen or can see unless he is vivified in the spirit2, neither can the tongue of man utter my name. Therefore, I AM and I am in you and you are in Me through the feelings that emanate from my name.

(1) Exodus 6:3 | (2) 1Timothy 6:16; RLDS D&C 67:3b; D&C 22:7b-7c / LDS D&C 67:11: Moses 1:11

 

17 Behold, therefore, that I give beginning, through you, to erect my church among my people Israel, for thou art a seer, having all the gifts that are conferred upon the head of the church. — Therefore, thou shalt be the voice of God unto my people, for from thy own mouth I, the Lord, will speak to them.

 

18 And, behold, I will give thee Aaron thy brother, the one that I'm bringing for you with some of the elders of the house of Israel; and Aaron will be your spokesman. Therefore, he must be ordained a prophet before the elders of the house of Israel, for
how much he will speak these words of mine that will flow out of your mouth when you come to Egypt.

 

19 And when my people Israel accept your call, then you will have a church to command beyond the Jordan, where I will give you a land flowing with milk and honey. — Therefore I will make you commandments by which the people of the covenant will be governed, and all of them, I the Lord will baptize under a cloud, that all may enter into the covenant that I am making with all the nation of Israel in their wholeness.

 

20 You, therefore, have a great challenge, to lead the people of Israel to live righteously, according to my words after you leave Egypt. Then it came to pass that I, Moses, answered God, saying that the children of Israel would never believe in me, nor obey my voice, and mock me, because I tell them that the Lord appeared to me, but they do not have much esteem for me.

 

21 Then the Lord told me that for this reason he was sending Aaron as my spokesman, for he is held in high esteem among the elders of the house of Israel and among all the people of Jacob, and for this reason they will obey his voice.

 

22 However, the Lord transmuted my adverse feelings, but righteous by the zeal of the Lord, into a snake that He commanded me that to do, throwing my rod to the ground. After that, my body was filled with leprosy, so that the Lord taught me that this is how the priesthood power of his son it works in the men, and that according to my feelings I can interact with the physical elements of the earth and with my own body, because all nature groans and also awaits the release of the sin to which Adam's error was subjugated, because the earth itself and its elements were also cursed with the fall1.

(1) Romans 8:19-22

 

23 But behold, since the elements are arranged by the gifts, which are feelings derived from the name of God in me, they are grouped by the power of faith, which, through command of the word of God, the worlds were created; and so all creation submits to
the authority that is in the name of God and of his Only Begotten Son, through the order of his priesthood, for the sake of his own deliverance.