The Sealed Book from the Mormon Plates

The Sealed Book of Moses

CHAPTER 17

The story of Moses before the council of the heavens.

 

1 And it came to pass in the third month after we left the land of Egypt, that we came to Sinai on the same day of the new moon, and after all the congregation of Israel set up a camp at the foot of the mountain, behold, on the third day, I went up the mountain to meet the Only God and from the mountain Jehovah said to me: Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and to the children of Israel; your own eyes have seen what I did to the Egyptians; and now if you will obey my voice and obey my covenant, you will be my personal treasure among all the nations, and I will make you a Kingdom for me. You will therefore be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

 

2 Therefore, under the cloud of the Almighty, I obtained the necessary instructions to organize the tabernacle of Israel for the full worship of the church of the lamb in the wilderness. It was when the Lord caught up me again, and I, Moses, obtained the information concerning this book, which should remain sealed until God judges it prudent1 to reveal these things to the children of men, when the Lord shall raise up a Moses like me2, in the figurative sense, for he will be taken from among the nations, from a land that does not correspond to the covenant made by God with his people in the fullness of time, but this one whom God chooses, he will be sent to proclaim repentance to this people in the last days.

(1) RLDS 2Nephi 2:38; Ether 2:1 / LDS 2Nephi 3:19; Ether 5:1 | (2) RLDS D&C 22:24b/ LDS Moses 1:41-42

 

3 On this occasion I had the most astonishing privilege any man had ever had before. In preparation for what the Lord had told me; he led the children of Israel to the foot of the mountain on the morning of the third day, thunders, and thunderbolts, and they sounded from the top; and the sound of a trumpet sounded, announcing the coming of the Almighty.

 

4 The whole camp was filled with smoke, for the Lord had come down in a great chariot of fire; there was a cloud around the chariot and rays of light pierced the fog in the sight of all Israel's nation, for how much it was possible to be seen through the fog, God sitting on his throne, under a polished layer of fine amber which stretched upon itself. — But behold, when the children of Israel came so close, God commanded me to go back to them and warn them to not come so close to something that they can not touch; even same the priests; for the people had not yet consecrated all things in a united order, just as the people of Enoch did in former times.

 

5 Therefore, they could not bear the command that said, "Even an animal, if it touches the sacred mountain, must be stoned to death; then, as I, the Lord, will spare him who profanes my sanctuary?”

 

6 Behold, I, Moses, am not pleased with the lack of reverence of this people for my presence and their evil mores is an insult to Lord, their Creator. For up there in the mountain, Jehovah laid his hand upon me, and conferred upon me the keys of the dispensation which I should preside over. And he carried me to a very high mountain, above the clouds, until I came to the city of God, the Heavenly Jerusalem.

 

7 It was then, that I came to see something so impressive, that I, Moses said: "I am trembling with fear my God!" And the Lord said: What you see is the mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, with his thousands of angels round about.

 

8 And, behold, it is given unto you permission to participate in the assembly of the elder sons of God, which is the church of the firstborn of the Father; that is, of those who already have their names written in heaven. To you, Moses, it will be permitted
to watch God presiding at a universal conference, for purposes, to determine the reward of the just spirits that have been perfected in the world, and you will see the Only Begotten Son of the Father, yea, the mediator of the new covenant, through whom you can be perfected1.

(1) Hebrews 12: 21-24

 

9 Then it came to pass, that on this occasion I, Moses, saw God as one man sees another before his eyes, and God, face to face, spoke with me, and the glory of God was upon me; therefore, I, Moses, could bear his presence1, although at no time did I dare raise my eyes to see his face. Therefore, God added, saying: Behold, you, Moses, having the priesthood power of my Son and being in accord with his ordinances, may look directly into my face with your eyes; though no man can see my countenance and remain alive without this priesthood.

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

 

10 When you came here, I told you to sit in the place that I prepared for you, in the sacred mountain of meeting, and I ordered you to remain seated while My Glory passed between the rock of My throne. And, behold, I laid My hand upon the cleft of the rock that divided between Me and thee, and covered thine eyesight to not see My countenance, and then when I withdrew My hand, and you looked over your shoulder and saw Me at a glance behind you, giving you the keys of the administration of My priesthood; for how much My face can not be seen for lack of this seal that I put about thee.

 

11 For, behold, the priesthood does allow man to see God, provided that this man has received the key corresponding to such a privilege and is a high priest of the sacred order of the Only Begotten Son, possessing all the keys corresponding to his ministry, which was preordained from before the foundation of the world.

 

12 But this mystery, my son Moses, which I make known to you at this time, concerning the hundred and forty-four thousand high priests anointed by Me on Mount Zion, in the Heavenly Jerusalem, even before the foundation of the world; chosen among all nations of the earth, from among all times by Me predetermined, beginning with its dispensation, from which my people Israel shall be scattered throughout the four corners of the world.

 

13 Therefore, these high priests, remnants of the twelve tribes of Israel, must know this mystery to remain only among those who possess this gift and calling, or among those to whom I, the Lord, allow this mystery to be revealed to him through a high priest born in the world of mankind in the similarity of Melchizedek.

 

14 And God went on speaking to me, Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty; and Infinite is my name, for I am without the beginning of days or the end of years; and is not that infinite?

 

15 Being that you are my son; behold, I am pleased to show thee the works of my hands; but not all, because my works have no end, nor my words, because they never cease. Behold, therefore, that no man shall be able to see all my works, without contemplating all my glory; and no man can contemplate all my glory and then remain in the flesh upon earth.

 

16 And it came to pass, while the voice still spoke, I looked and saw the earth; yea, all of it; and there was not a particle of it which I saw not, discerning it by the Spirit of God. And I have also seen inhabitants; and there was not a single soul that I had not seen, and his number was great, even as countless as the sands of the shore.

 

17 And I saw many lands; and each was called the world, and there were inhabitants on its surface; then I understand who were the righteous spirits who had been perfected in the heavens; and I was able to understand, who were those ancient spirits who made up the church of the firstborn and I could understand who are the high priests who were ordained by God before the foundation of the world of mankind and because they have been endowed with knowledge since they are born.

 

18 These have been anointed with the knowledge of all things from the beginning, not needing anyone to teach him something about the Kingdom of God1, but being from infants endowed with such divine attributes, they feel the desire to serve God and seek from Him the knowledge, for how much to these, will be shown the way to which they must walk before God.

(1) 1Jhon 2:24-27

 

19 And it came to pass that I cried unto God, saying: Tell me, I beseech thee, why are these things so, and by what manner have ye done them? — And the Lord God said to me: "Moses, I have done these things for my own purpose. Here is wisdom, and abideth in Me; it also continues in you, and through you, and through those whom I call, for how much I call no man, unless they get elected; for not even my own only begotten was chosen by Me, but this one, being with me from the beginning, acting as master of works of all creation, elected himself, saying, "Father, Here am I; send me."

 

20 And by the word of my power I have created all things; word which proceeds from Me, the Great Jehovah and Judge of all the earth1, that since the days of Adam is pronounced "Almighty God", whose name is personified by election in the Only Begotten Son, this Jehovah being the Advocate with the Father2, who from time immemorial is pronounced – "Mighty God", who is full of grace and truth.

(1) RLDS Moroni 10: 31 / LDS Moroni 10: 34 | (2) RLDS - Visions of Joseph and Oliver in Kirtland Temple (RCH 2:46-47) / LDS D&C 110: 3-4

 

21 And I have created countless worlds; and also created them for my own purpose; and created them by the Son, who is my Only Begotten; and I called Adam the first man of all men, that is, many. However, I'll tell you only of this Earth and its inhabitants. For behold, there are many worlds which by the word of my power have passed away, as the world of mankind is passing now, but he that doeth my will, these standeth for ever. And there are many who now stand and are innumerable for man to understand; but all things are understandable to Me, for they are mine and I know them in detail.

 

22 And it came to pass that I, Moses, spake unto the LORD, saying: Be merciful to thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and to the inhabitants, and to the heavens; and then your servant will be satisfied. And, behold, the Lord God spake unto me, saying: The heavens are many, and are innumerable for a man to comprehend in his fullness; even as a land shall pass away, and her heaven shall be dissolved, so that another in her place shall arise; and there is no end to my works or my words.

 

23 Yet, behold, this is my work and my glory: To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. And now, Moses my son, write these things which I will tell you at this time: for in the day when the children of men shall despise my words, and shall take away many of them from the book which thou shalt write, behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; and they will again be within reach of the children of men by these things that you record now — so that these words of mine may find all those who believe in my everlasting gospel, that this knowledge which will be revealed by this man whom I will raise up in the last days, like you, will gather again those who belong to me, for they are my elect to support this my work and restore the heritage of my people in the final part of the fullness of times.

 

24 Thus, in the face of thunders and lightning and sounds of the trumpets proceeding from the heavens, Jehovah the Almighty made me deliver his law with a sublime display of authority, so that not only the nation of Israel would know that He is the only true God and alive over the sons of men, but that his people in every dispensations may know that there is no God besides Him, and as He has placed full trust in the nation of Israel throughout all his generations, keeps this record under seal, so that his chosen in the last days, by whose priesthood essence, which gifts of God, wrapped in the sentiments of the children of men, manifest among the people of his church in the final part of the fulness of times.

 

25 Behold, I am Mormon, son of Mormon, and a descendant of Nephi, and these are the words that I summarized from the record of the great Moses that God commanded me to write them according to my way of speaking; which were written and preserved for a wise purpose foreordained by God in the last days.

 

26 Behold, this is all that God commanded me to extract from the record of Moses, for the purpose of compiling on the plates I am transcribing, in which I am making a complete account of the things required for God, to be sealed in two stages, these words of Moses, which will be revealed in the first stage in preparation for a deeper knowledge that unfolds with the opening of the other books that compose this set behind the first seals, which should be opened in preparation of a people for the coming of Christ in his temple; with the purpose of this people being prepared for when He comes upon Zion of the last days.

 

27 And unlike the days of Moses, when He came down upon the top of mount Sinai, whose people were not worthy to touch the mountain where the Lord stood by his servant Moses, his son Jesus Christ, will find at last, a people who observe his commandments, strictly clean from the filthiness of the world of Satan and pure of heart; having all things in common, just as in the days of Enoch, when they lived in a 'united order.' — Amen.

 

28 I, Mormon, being impressed by the reading of a passage from this record of Moses, whereby, reading his words, the Holy Spirit did not require me to compile such an epilogue from the twelve spies, to compose the outcome of this record on the plates
that I am transcribing.

 

29 However, after concluding what the Lord actually asked of me, I began to beg the Lord that the story of the spies of Moses, who were sent, one from each tribe of Israel, therefore the twelve apostles, to bring good tidings of the earth promised to the children of Israel, may also be written by me, Mormon, here on these plates.

 

30 It follows, therefore, as it appears in its details in the record of Moses. Only understanding this stretch is enough for anyone to understand the power of human feelings and the extent that connects us to gifts from the name of God. Amen.