Why are the Old Testament accounts restored through Joseph Smith “plain and precious” to you?
"18 And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.
19 And Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even Zion." (Moses 7:18–19)
"22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
23 And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.
24 And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
26 And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.
27 And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.
28 And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him." (Abraham 3:22–28)
"25 And Melchizedek lifted up his voice and blessed Abram.
26 Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.
27 And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch,
28 It being after the order of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God;
29 And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.
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;
35 And hath said, and sworn with an oath, that the heavens and the earth should come together; and the sons of God should be tried so as by fire.
36 And this Melchizedek, having thus established righteousness, was called the king of heaven by his people, or, in other words, the King of peace.
37 And he lifted up his voice, and he blessed Abram, being the high priest, and the keeper of the storehouse of God;
38 Him whom God had appointed to receive tithes for the poor.
39 Wherefore, Abram paid unto him tithes of all that he had, of all the riches which he possessed, which God had given him more than that which he had need.
40 And it came to pass, that God blessed Abram, and gave unto him riches, and honor, and lands for an everlasting possession; according to the covenant which he had made, and according to the blessing wherewith Melchizedek had blessed him." (Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 14:25–40).
And here's the end part of the commentary entitled: "
The Lord restored many “plain and precious things” through Joseph Smith." :
The book of Moses, part of Joseph Smith’s translation of the Bible. It restores truths and accounts not found in the current text of Genesis 1–6.
The book of Abraham, which was revealed to Joseph Smith as he examined ancient Egyptian papyri (see Topics and Questions, “Book of Abraham,” Gospel Library).
Various passages from the Joseph Smith Translation, some of which appear in the footnotes, the appendix of the Bible, and the Guide to the Scriptures.
Here are some examples of Old Testament accounts restored through Joseph Smith: Enoch’s city of Zion (Moses 7:18–19), Abraham’s vision of the council in heaven (Abraham 3:22–28), and the ministry of Melchizedek (Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 14:25–40). Why are these accounts “plain and precious” to you?
Adam and Eve Offering Sacrifices, by Keith Larson (detail)"
These Old Testament accounts restored through Joseph Smith are "plain and precious" to me because of the following reasons:
- Enoch's city of Zion made me see that the Lord does fulfill His promises to those who keep their covenants with Him.
- Abraham's vision of the council of heaven made helped me realize that being here on earth now is not a random occurence. I was chosen by the Lord to come down here on earth during these latter-days.
- The ministry of Melchizedek made it clear to me that the law of tithing was given by the Lord as a commandment anciently and He blesses those who obey this commandment even with "lands for an everlasting possession"–this blessing makes sense to me because the Articles of Faith says that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisical glory. This earth will become the celestial kingdom which the Lord promised as an inheritance to those who will qualify to have eternal life. "Lands for an everlasting possession" on the earth means inheritance in the celestial kingdom.
- The ministry of Melchizedek also made it clear that Melchizedek existed and the Melchizedek priesthood is named after him for a valid reason.
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