Ordained By God To Teach

After Alma teaches us the Plan of Redemption in Alma 12, he says:

1 And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the time when the Lord God gave these (second) commandments unto his children; and I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his Son, to teach these things unto the people.

This is significant on so many levels. 

1) God gave these second commandments 

2) God ordained priests

3) He did so after His holy order

4) Which was after the order of His Son

5) To teach these things (what he taught in Alma 12) unto the people.

It is also significant for what is not written. This priesthood is not ecclesiastical! It is not about keys or authority or hierarchy. It is about teaching by authority what God wants taught and why. Alma says further:

2 And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption.

What does Alma mean by "after the order of his Son?" It is God's priesthood which is also after the order of Christ, so it belongs to the order of God the Father which, even though prepared from the foundation of the world, is without beginning or end. Redemption comes in and through Christ who at the time Alma is recording this, had not yet come, but as you will see it also applies to His second coming. Look forward to Christ and we look forward to redemption and deliverance.

Let's go back to what Alma taught about the plan of redemption. 

"But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent, and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten Son;

Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.

And whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity, behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest" (Alma 12:33-35).

Note the similarities between Christ's plan of redemption and the priesthood after the manner of his Son. To receive this priesthood, one must have great faith, repent and desire to teach others. The priesthood is then used to teach His plan of redemption--repent and harden not your hearts. And what does Alma say we hardened our hearts against? His word, which those ordained by God must have or they cannot teach His plan of redemption. We look forward to receiving His mercy and to entering into His rest. And only those who teach His plan of redemption are called by God. Anyone who does not teach His plan of redemption is not called of God.

For further evidence of this truth let's continue in Alma 13. 

3 And this is the manner 

after which they were ordained—

being called and prepared 

from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their 

exceeding faith and good works; 

in the first place being left 

to choose good or evil; 

therefore they having chosen good, 

and exercising exceedingly great faith, 

are called with a holy calling, yea, 

with that holy calling 

which was prepared with, 

and according to, 

a preparatory redemption for such.

So who is called of God? Anyone who chooses good and exercises great faith, who hardens not his heart, who receives His words and repents. 

"Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.

Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God" (D&C 11:3-4).

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Alma's words about priesthood and teaching now become clearer.

4 And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their minds (Alma 12:9-11), while, if it had not been for this they might have had as great privilege as their brethren.

5 Or in fine (another way of saying), in the first place they were on the same standing with their brethren; thus this holy calling being prepared from the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son, who was prepared—

6 And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest—

7 This high priesthood being after the order of his Son, which order was from the foundation of the world; or in other words, being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of all things—

8 Now they were ordained after this manner—being called with a holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon them the high priesthood of the holy order, which calling, and ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or end—

9 Thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth. And thus it is. Amen.

Once a teacher always a teacher desiring all to receive His love and mercy. But Alma is not finished. He has more to tell us about this high priesthood and who is qualified to receive it.

10 Now, as I said concerning the holy order, or this high priesthood, there were many who were ordained and became high priests of God; and it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance, and their righteousness before God, they choosing to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish;

And so He called them and then sanctified  them.

11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.

12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God.

And then Alma's prayer for us.

13 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance, that ye may also enter into that rest.

14 Yea, humble yourselves even as the people in the days of Melchizedek, who was also a high priest after this same order which I have spoken, who also took upon him the high priesthood forever. 

We can now understand better what priesthood Melchizedek has. Hint. It is not the Melchizedek Priesthood. 

15 And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed.

This is the same priesthood sought for by Abraham (Abraham 1:2) and that through this priesthood he could bless the lives of others with greater peace, rest and happiness. This is the same priesthood we should seek. 

16 Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being a type of his order, or it being his order, and this that they might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord.

17 Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem; and his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination; yea, they had all gone astray; they were full of all manner of wickedness;

18 But Melchizedek 

having exercised mighty faith, and received the office 

of the high priesthood 

according to the holy order of God, 

did preach repentance 

unto his people. And behold, 

they did repent; and 

Melchizedek did establish peace 

in the land in his days; 

therefore he was called 

the prince of peace, 

for he was the king of Salem; 

and he did reign under his father.

19 Now, there were many before him, and also there were many afterwards, but none were greater; therefore, of him they have more particularly made mention.

Now we know why we call it the Melchizedek Priesthood. Hopefully you see it now as the Lord wants us to see it. Alma is still not finished, however, being the example of one who is ordained of God and called to this Holy Priesthood to teach others.

20 Now I need not rehearse the matter; what I have said may suffice. Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction.

21 And now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words unto them, he stretched forth his hand unto them and cried with a mighty voice, saying: Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation draweth nigh;

Alma is doing what he does best--teaching us the word of God so that we too may taste as he has tasted and be redeemed by the Lord. Once he accepted that priesthood to teach he had no other objective but to proclaim the good news to all within the sound of his voice. He adds his voice to the voice of the Lord and to the mouth of angels.

22 Yea, and the voice of the Lord, by the mouth of angels, doth declare it unto all nations; yea, doth declare it, that they may have glad tidings of great joy; yea, and he doth sound these glad tidings among all his people, yea, even to them that are scattered abroad upon the face of the earth; wherefore they have come unto us.

23 And they are made known unto us in plain terms, that we may understand, that we cannot err; and this because of our being wanderers in a strange land; therefore, we are thus highly favored, for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all parts of our vineyard.

Alma hints that those who are not comfortable in Babylon are more likely to hear the words of God.

24 For behold, angels (and others like me) are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory.

25 And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we know not how soon. Would to God that it might be in my day; but let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice.

26 And it shall be made known unto just and holy men, by the mouth of angels, at the time of his coming, that the words of our fathers may be fulfilled, according to that which they have spoken concerning him, which was according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them.

27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance;

28 But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;

29 Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.

30 And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that ye may not bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may not be bound down by the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second death.

31 And Alma spake many more words unto the people, which are not written in this book.

We have more to look forward to if we but receive what we have.

One last comparison between Alma, angels and those called and ordained by God, Alma says, they are called on account of their exceeding great faith. Compare this to D&C 121 where the Lord says:

"Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson—

That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.

That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man" (D&C 121:34-37).

Perhaps this is why the Lord calls to His Holy Priesthood only those who receive His words, repent, have great faith, and desire all to repent and receive His mercy. In this there can only be righteousness.