15 That
you may come up unto the crown prepared for you, and be made rulers over many
kingdoms, saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Zion, who hath established the
foundations of Adam-ondi-Ahman;
16 Who
hath appointed Michael your prince, and established his feet, and set him upon
high, and given unto him the keys of salvation under the counsel and direction
of the Holy One, who is without beginning of days or end of life. (D&C
78:15-16)
When I read this, I wondered why it was important to include
that information about Michael, or Adam.
But coming as it does so early in church history, it actually
implies a lot of neat things. To Saints who previously only knew of the fall of
Adam and his exit from the Garden of Eden, it tells us that though outside
Eden, eventually Adam became righteous, that he attained the priesthood, and
that he is given authority over his posterity. When it is says Christ established his feet, that tells
me Christ taught Adam his foundational knowledge of the gospel and set him on
the path of faithfulness. Even
though Adam fell, he was eventually raised up and exalted, which I think is
what “set up on high” is meant to communicate.
With that in mind, the promise that we may come up to the
crown prepared for us and be made rulers over many kingdoms tells us that we,
like Adam, can overcome the fall through Christ. If the Lord established Adam’s feet, He will do the same for
us. If Adam was given keys, so can
we be. If Adam was appointed a prince, so can we be.
That is so thrilling.
The crown is there waiting; it has already been prepared and we just need to
keep stepping up!
2 comments:
I don't think you can read the fall into this that way. It's not saying, Adam was so low, if he's forgiven you can be too.
Adam is likely the most perfect man to live outside of Christ on this earth.
When Joseph taught that Adam held the keys of the universe, he was making clear the exalted role Adam has as the father of all living.
Remember, he's made Lord over the earth by his Father and given this earth add his own. His wife, he declared as the mother of all living, despite that no one was living besides them.
The quote in this scripture hints at the reality Adam played in the creation of the earth and for his descendants.
It's in no waya reflection of his lowly state to be made high.
Hi Aon,
I'm not saying Adam didn't have a great role in the creation. But he still partook of the fruit and fell.
If he had not risen by following the gospel of Christ, he would have stayed fallen.
Perhaps you think that the fall wasn't a real fall and that he stayed at an exalted, perfected status?
Would he have needed keys of salvation to be given him if he didn't need saving himself?
Thanks for stopping by.
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